Tusk revealed for the first time the number of Patriot missiles that Poland has transferred to Ukraine
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has officially confirmed for the first time how many missiles Warsaw transferred to Ukraine for the Patriot systems this spring. According to him, the number is five, and the decision was made in coordination with NATO and the United States.
This spring, Poland transferred five missiles for Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. This was stated by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, effectively putting an end to discussions regarding the scope of this aid. Previously, Polish authorities had avoided giving specific figures. Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz had only emphasized that the transfer of ammunition had not weakened Poland’s defense capabilities.
For his part, Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk initially spoke of “several” missiles, but later clarified that there were “between three and nine.” It was the head of government who announced the final figure. “You’ve seen the uproar—completely unnecessary, to be honest, and actually shocking—that our decision to transfer five missiles to the Patriot system has caused, in full agreement with NATO and the Americans, since we’re acting jointly on this issue. These aren’t just Polish ideas; this is a joint NATO effort,” said Donald Tusk.
At the same time, the Polish prime minister made it clear that no new deliveries of this kind are planned in the near future. “At present, the government has no plans for similar donations,” he noted.
The transfer of Polish missiles was part of a broader international initiative coordinated by Germany. Back in March, Western media reported that Berlin, together with its European allies, was working on supplying Ukraine with about 35 missiles for the Patriot systems. According to available information, Poland provided five missiles. Germany made a similar contribution. The Netherlands and Spain also joined this initiative. In April, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov publicly thanked Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Poland for the missiles provided for the Patriot systems.
At the same time, Polish authorities emphasize that the transfer of ammunition did not pose any risks to the country’s security. According to government officials, Poland continues to modernize its own air defense system. It is expected that over the next few years, the Polish Armed Forces will receive more than 600 additional missiles of this type, which should significantly strengthen Poland’s air defense capabilities. This was reported by Onet.
Poland has begun the official process of establishing a permanent U.S. military base on its territory. The government has already adopted a resolution to this effect, and the defense minister has been authorized to negotiate with the U.S. side and prepare the necessary infrastructure.
More than a thousand U.S. service members are leaving Lithuania following the completion of a scheduled rotation. At the same time, the timing of the next contingent’s arrival and its size remain undetermined, the country’s defense minister stated.
