Poland Proposes Joint Production of "Patriot" Missiles with Ukraine and the U.S.

Reference News Network reported on July 27 According to Reuters on July 24, on the evening of the 23rd, Poland's Deputy Minister of Defense Magdalena Sroka-Czarniecka stated during her visit to Washington that Poland has proposed joint production of missiles for the "Patriot" air defense system with Ukraine and the United States, which will help address security concerns.

At the NATO summit held in Ankara this month, U.S. President Trump announced that the U.S. would issue a license for Ukraine to produce "Patriot" interceptors, which is a boost for Kyiv, which has long sought permission to produce this defensive weapon.

At that time, two sources told Reuters that to avoid becoming a target of potential Russian strikes against Ukraine, these new interceptors are likely to be produced in Germany or other European countries.

Sroka-Czarniecka stated on the 23rd that Warsaw has proposed cooperation with Kyiv and Washington to ensure that missile production can take place in a secure location.

She told reporters, "The proposal I put forward today on behalf of Poland addresses some of the concerns from the U.S. side. We propose to carry out trilateral cooperation among the U.S., Ukraine, and Poland, as the top priority is to ensure that the production process is safe and that production takes place in secure locations."

U.S. representatives in Ankara stated that the U.S. will establish a maintenance facility in Europe for Lockheed Martin's advanced "Patriot Advanced Capability"-3 missiles.

Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, Poland has consistently supported Ukraine in its fight, but the relationship between the two neighboring countries has been strained due to historical issues.

The situation reached a boiling point in June this year. Ukrainian President Zelensky named a military unit after the "Ukrainian Insurgent Army" (UPA), which sparked strong outrage in Poland, as the "Ukrainian Insurgent Army" was a nationalist armed group that massacred Polish civilians during World War II. Subsequently, Polish President Duda revoked the highest honor medal awarded to Zelensky. (Translation/ Li Sha)