Minister of National Defence Mariusz Blaszczak has announced that he has accepted the German Defence Minister’s proposal to deploy additional Patriot missile launchers in Poland.

“During a telephone conversation with the German side today, I will propose that the system be stationed near the border with Ukraine”, the defence ministry chief wrote on Twitter on Monday.

The proposal to deploy missile defence systems in Poland to strengthen the security of Polish airspace was discussed by the head of Germany’s defence ministry, Christine Lambrecht, in an interview with the German daily Rheinische Post. This follows the missile explosion in Przewodów, which killed two Polish citizens.

The German defence minister assessed that airspace surveillance in Poland and Slovakia should be strengthened after the events near the border with Ukraine.

“We want to increase control over the territories of NATO countries that border Ukraine,” Lambrecht told the Rheinische Post. The minister added that the federal government has offered support in securing the Polish skies with Patriot air defence systems and has expressed a willingness to extend their presence in Slovakia until at least the end of 2023.

Germany has also offered Poland support in airspace monitoring. A spokesman for the German Defence Ministry assured that assistance could be provided at any time. The German authorities have assured Poland of strengthening the Air Policing mission, which includes Eurofighter jets.

“These jets have the speed, firepower and agility to respond quickly to threats. They can be picked up at any time and patrols can take place from German air force bases”, said German Defence Ministry spokesman Christian Thiels.

He added that no decision had yet been made on the number of Eurofighters that would patrol the Polish skies. The jets would return to Germany after each mission.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński