France will provide air cover for the aid hub for Ukraine in Poland
Starting January 1, 2027, France will be responsible for air defense in the area of the Polish airport in Rzeszów-Jasionka. This is one of the key logistics hubs through which military and humanitarian aid is delivered to Ukraine. French air defense systems will operate alongside American Patriot systems.
France will take over the mission after the Netherlands concludes its military presence near the Rzeszów airport. Dutch troops and their air defense systems will remain in Poland until December 2026. After that, responsibility for defending the airspace around this important logistics hub will pass to the French side. “Starting January 1, within the framework of NATO, France will assume responsibility for air defense in the Rzeszów area, and this will be the first time that French equipment will be used for this purpose,” de Ponsen stated.
According to the diplomat, the French air defense systems will operate alongside American Patriot systems. This cooperation will make it possible to assess how well these systems are compatible and how they can interact while carrying out a joint mission. At the same time, the ambassador did not specify how long the French mission would last. Nor did he disclose exactly which French systems would be deployed in the Rzeszów area.
Currently, the Netherlands is providing air defense for the NATO logistics center near the Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport. Back in May, it was announced that the Netherlands would extend the deployment of its troops and Patriot systems in Poland until December. The Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport is of critical importance for supporting Ukraine. A significant portion of military and humanitarian aid shipments from partners pass through it. Therefore, protecting this facility is one of NATO’s key tasks on the Alliance’s eastern flank. This was announced by the French Ambassador to Poland, Étienne de Poncins. His remarks were quoted by Reuters.
As of September 18, the airports in Rzeszów and Lublin, Poland, have been suspended for the third consecutive day amid Russian attacks on Ukraine. The restrictions are related to heightened security measures due to Russian airstrikes.
Ukraine’s new vice-consulate in Rzeszów will begin serving citizens as early as the second half of December—technical setup and system integration are currently being finalized there. The consulate will serve Ukrainians from most of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, as well as those who make an appointment online from other regions of Poland. It will provide a full range of consular services—from processing documents to assistance at border crossings.
