Germany offers Poland air defense systems

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said in remarks published Monday that Berlin offered Eurofighters and Patriot defense missiles to Warsaw to help secure its airspace. 

“We have to position ourselves in the alliance even better in terms of air defense,” Lambrecht told the Rheinische Post and General-Anzeiger newspapers, adding that it was necessary, particularly for Poland, Slovakia and the Baltic countries.

Lambrecht noted that Slovakia was using these weapons for protection, and added that Berlin sought to extend its presence there “until the end of 2023, possibly even beyond.”

What did Poland say?

Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said he received Berlin’s offer “with satisfaction.”

Blaszczak said he would suggest to the German side that the additional Patriot missile launchers be deployed close to the border with Ukraine. 

German troops have been recently present in Poland as part of NATO drills. 

Why now? 

Last week, a missile hit a grain depot in the Polish village of Przewodow, just 6 kilometers (4 miles) from the Ukrainian border. 

The explosion killed two people in Poland, and came on the same day that Russia fired a barrage of missiles across Ukraine. 

Polish and Western leaders have said that the missile was likely from Ukraine’s air defense, although they maintained that the ultimate blame was on Russia for launching a war on Ukraine. 

Kyiv initially accused Russia of attacking the NATO country. Some Ukrainian experts went to the site of the blast in Poland to help in the investigation.

fb/jcg (AFP, AP, dpa)