Washington Dismisses Idea of Taking Polish Patriot Air Defense System for Ukraine
The Polish deputy defense minister, Cezary Tomczyk, emphasized that US-made Patriot air defense systems stationed in Poland will not be transferred to Ukraine as suggested in a New York Times article. Tomczyk stated that the Polish Patriots are vital for defending their own sky and will not be relocated.
The NYT article claimed that President Joe Biden had approved deploying another Patriot air defense system to Ukraine and that it would come from Poland. However, Tomczyk mentioned that the US could find another Patriot system elsewhere for Ukraine.
The issue sparked discussions in Poland, with the head of the National Security Bureau, Jacek Siewiera, reaffirming the importance of Polish Patriots for both Ukraine’s military aid supplies and NATO defense.
Ukraine has been seeking additional air defense systems to match Russia’s capabilities. In May, President Zelensky requested two Patriot batteries for the Kharkov Region to counter Russian advances. The US has expressed its commitment to delivering air defense systems to Ukraine, despite Russia’s concerns over foreign weapon deliveries prolonging the conflict.