Poland has offered to host a Patriot missile system facility for Ukraine
Poland has offered to host a factory on its territory to manufacture missiles for the Patriot systems, provided the U.S. grants Ukraine the necessary license. Warsaw considers Polish territory safer for such a facility than Ukraine. At the same time, separate negotiations with the U.S. regarding the possibility of manufacturing and maintaining Patriot missiles in Poland are ongoing.
Poland has offered to establish a facility on its territory that could produce missiles for the Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine. This was announced by Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarniecka, Poland’s Deputy Minister of Defense.
According to her, if Ukraine receives a license from the U.S. to manufacture such missiles, the proposal is to locate the plant not in Ukraine, but in Poland. “If there are plans to build such a plant in Ukraine, then we propose building it on Polish territory so that it is located in what is known as a ‘safe zone,’” said Sobkowiak-Czarniecka.
Why Poland Is Offering Its Territory
Warsaw’s main argument is the security of the future facility. In Ukraine, such a plant would be a potential target for Russian strikes. Poland, however, is a member of both NATO and the EU, so Polish authorities consider its territory safer for hosting the production facility.
However, this is not a decision that has already been made. If the plant is indeed to be built, it will require appropriate agreements with the U.S. and permission to use American technology.
Poland is negotiating separately with the U.S.
Sobkowiak-Czarniecka emphasized that Poland’s negotiations with the U.S. regarding Patriot missiles are a separate process. According to her, Warsaw is working to secure the opportunity to first establish a service center and, later, to begin manufacturing Patriot missiles in Poland. “My counterparts in Washington have confirmed that even if such a decision is made regarding Ukraine, it will not affect our efforts or nullify the agreement for Poland,” she noted.
In other words, even if the U.S. allows Ukraine to manufacture missiles under license, Poland will still continue its own negotiations on establishing such capabilities on its territory. The Polish Ministry of Defense previously reported that the joint production and maintenance of PAC-3 missiles for the Patriot system in European countries—including, potentially, Poland—is already being discussed with the United States.
What Is Known About Patriot Production in Poland
Poland already has experience manufacturing individual components of the Patriot system. In 2024, the Polish companies Raytheon Polska and Huta Stalowa Wola signed an agreement to produce 48 M903 launchers for Poland’s Patriot systems. They are scheduled to be delivered between 2027 and 2029.
Separately, Warsaw is seeking to expand cooperation with the U.S. specifically in the field of missiles. The Polish Ministry of Defense has previously announced negotiations regarding the transfer of technology for maintaining PAC-3 missiles and the possible development of production capabilities in Europe.
What This Means for Ukraine
If this project is implemented, production of missiles for the Patriot system will be located closer to Ukraine, but on the territory of a NATO country. For Ukraine, this would potentially mean another source of missile supplies for air defense systems, provided the relevant agreements and licenses are obtained.
However, there is currently no mention of a specific plant, its location, production volumes, or launch dates. Further decisions by the U.S. and agreements between the parties are needed. Poland continues negotiations with Washington regarding the production and maintenance of Patriot missiles. Earlier, the Polish Ministry of Defense also stated that the final decision on European production must be made jointly with the U.S. This was announced by Polish Deputy Minister of Defense Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarniecka, according to RMF24.
