NATO debates increased air defense support as Russia hits Ukraine with more rocket strikes | DW News

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak has asked the German government to deliver US Patriot missiles destined for Poland to Ukraine instead. “I have asked Germany to have the proposed Polish Patriot batteries transferred to Ukraine and deployed at the western border,“ wrote Blaszczak on Twitter Wednesday. But Berlin insisted the missiles are only to be deployed within NATO. Germany had offered Poland, a neighbor and NATO partner, the US-made surface-to-air missile (SAM) defense system after a stray rocket struck a Polish village 6 kilometers (4 miles) from the Ukrainian border last week, killing two people. Following Blaszczak’s tweet, Berlin said the missiles are strictly intended for Poland, with German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht emphasizing, “Patriots are part of NATO’s integrated air defense, meaning they are intended to be deployed on NATO territory.“ “Any use outside NATO territory,“ said Lambrecht, “would require prior discussions with NA