News Feed

Polish ruling party chief: Germany should send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine.

1 min read

Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice party, said that Germany should hand over Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine as "these missiles will be useful in this war, but only in the place where they will be actually used," Rzeczpospolita, a Polish newspaper, reported.

"Germany's attitude so far gives no reason to believe that they will decide to shoot at Russian missiles," he said. "Rockets standing here for decoration are a solution that may have aesthetic advantages, but there are no military or political ones."

According to him, Patriot systems placed in western Ukraine would protect Poland too.

On Nov. 23, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said he had asked Germany to send Patriot missile launchers offered to Poland to western Ukraine instead.

"This will protect Ukraine from further deaths and blackouts and will increase security at our eastern border," Blaszczak wrote on Twitter.

However, the German government rejected Poland's offer, saying that it would have to be approved by NATO.

Despite Ukraine's repeated requests, the U.S. has also refused to supply Patriot systems to Ukraine so far.

The Patriot system offers protection against aircraft, cruise missiles, larger drones, and short-range ballistic missiles, but it can't protect against low-flying or small drones that fly closer to the ground.

Avatar
The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

Read more
News Feed
Video

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, war has become a daily reality for thousands of Ukrainian children. Some Ukrainian military units, such as the Azov Brigade, offer boot camps for teenagers to teach them the basics of self-defense, first aid, dry firing, and other survival skills — helping them prepare for both the realities of today and the uncertainties of the future.

Show More