Poland would like to hand over the Patriot anti-aircraft systems offered by Germany directly to Ukraine. But Defense Minister Lambrecht puts on the brakes: The Patriots are part of NATO’s air defense system. However, it does not rule out delivery either.
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht has reacted cautiously to the Polish government’s proposals that it would be better to leave Patriot anti-aircraft systems offered by Germany to Ukraine. The Patriots are part of NATO’s integrated air defense and intended for NATO territory, said the SPD politician. “And if they are deployed outside of NATO territory, then that must first be discussed with NATO and the Allies,” she said after speaking with her Estonian colleague Hanno Pevkur.
The federal government offered Poland support in the special situation and the exposed situation of the country. Lambrecht also referred to the tragic deaths that occurred when rockets hit the Polish border area. Last week, a rocket hit Poland’s border area with Ukraine, killing two civilians. Currently, the West believes it was a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile used to defend against Russian military attacks.
The FDP defense politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann expressed her surprise at Poland’s advance. “Of course it makes sense to deliver this system to the Ukraine as well, as long as they can operate it with their soldiers,” Strack-Zimmermann told the newspapers of the Funke media group. However, she believes that Lambrecht’s offer to Poland was intended differently. “It’s funny how people can talk past each other like that.”
The Polish opposition also assessed the defense minister’s initiative accordingly. Ex-President Bronislaw Komorowski told radio station Rmf.fm that this was the idea of ??the PiS government to de facto reject the proposal from Berlin, but not to say so out loud. “It is difficult to accept German help and at the same time spit on Germany in politics wherever you can and accuse it of almost aggressive intentions towards Poland.”
The newspaper “Gazeta Wyborcza” summed it up: “We are dealing here with a rather clumsy propaganda ploy by Minister Blaszczak to put a well-disposed Germany in an awkward position.” Germany will not send its soldiers to Ukraine to serve the Patriots. After all, that would mean that the NATO country could become involved in a war with Russia, the newspaper warned.
The proposal that Germany should deliver the Patriot air defense system directly to Ukraine came from Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak. “Following new Russian missile attacks, I asked the German side to transfer the Patriot battery offered to Poland to Ukraine and deploy it on the western border,” Blaszczak wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. In this way, Ukraine will be protected from new losses and power failures and the security of the common border will be strengthened.
The military leadership in Kyiv welcomed the move: “Why should they be in Poland? You can set them up in the western part of Ukraine,” said Air Force spokesman Yuri Ihnat on television. The high-ranking Ukrainian military representative argued that this would protect Europe’s airspace in advance. Together with the existing air defense systems S-300, Buk and fighter squadrons of the Ukrainian Air Force, they could significantly improve security in the sky.
