Less than a week following the errant Ukrainian missile fiasco which killed two people just inside the Polish border, but which was initially blamed on Russia, Poland has confirmed it will host a US-made Patriot air defense system on the Ukrainian border.
Bloomberg reported on Monday, "Germany will send Patriot missiles and fighter jets to Poland as part of an air-defense deal following a strike that raised fears of a significant escalation between NATO allies and Russia."
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German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said in relation to the deal, "Poland is our friend, ally and stands out as a neighbor of Ukraine."
It comes as a bit of a surprise given tensions are high between Warsaw and Berlin after the former recently requested $1.3 trillion in war reparations from World War II. Polish officials have also of late heavily criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for unwillingness to issue greater commitments in arming Ukraine.
According to more via The Associated Press:
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said he received Germany’s offer of additional Patriot missiles “with satisfaction” and will have them deployed close to the border with Ukraine.
He tweeted that during a phone conversation Monday with the German side, he will suggest the location for the Patriot missile reinforcement. Poland already has a deployment of U.S. Patriot missiles.
Ironically all of this comes in response to a deadly border incident which later was shown not to have involved Russia. Instead the Nov. 15 explosion was likely the result of a Ukrainian anti-air missile, despite the Ukrainian government insisting that Russian forces had "attacked" NATO member ally Poland.
But rare tensions emerged between the Zelensky government and his Western backers after both NATO and the White House laid out a clear case that it was an accidental Ukrainian missile which landed on the Polish village of Przewodów, very close to the border with Ukraine.
