Poland sends Patriot missiles to Ukraine at NATO, US request

Poland's Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz announced Monday that Warsaw donated Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine following direct requests from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the US military command in Europe, revealing the decision was coordinated with Polish national security institutions. "At the request of the NATO secretary general and U.S. forces in Europe, following consultations with the user group, a decision was taken to donate Patriot missiles," Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters in Warsaw.

The minister emphasized that the quantity transferred constituted merely "a margin" of Poland's total arsenal and would leave the country's air defense posture unaffected. He added that consultations with the president's office and Poland's National Security Bureau preceded the move, and the decision "did not come as a surprise" to either body.

Domestic criticism

The disclosure came after criticism from allies of President Karol Nawrocki, who questioned the government's decision to provide Patriot missiles to Ukraine amid continued Russian missile and drone attacks. The confirmation emerged following public statements challenging Warsaw's choice to supply Kyiv with defensive munitions while the conflict persists.

Production queue denial

Kosiniak-Kamysz also dismissed reports that Poland had surrendered its place in the queue for new Patriot missile production in the US to Ukraine. "We were neither asked to do so nor did we take such a decision," he said. The minister stressed that Warsaw maintains its full procurement position while supporting allied requests for Ukraine's defense.