German top foreign affairs official Tobias Lindner said on Dec. 10 that Germany didn't have free access to U.S.-made Patriot systems and couldn't transfer them to Ukraine.
"The Patriot systems we send are part of NATO's collective defense system," Lindner said.
Germany has blocked the transfer of the Patriot air defense system to Ukraine so far.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Dec. 6 that he was disappointed by the decision, made after speaking with his German counterpart Christine Lambrecht, as "the deployment of Patriots in western Ukraine would increase the security of Poles and Ukrainians."
He added that Poland would start working on stationing the German-provided air defense systems in Poland and integrating them into its command system.
After a missile struck the Polish village of Przewodow on Nov. 15, Lambrecht announced that Germany would deliver Patriot missile systems to Poland.
Blaszczak asked Germany to send the launchers to western Ukraine instead. The German government responded that such a decision would have to be approved by NATO.
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