US moves Patriot air defense systems to Poland
Cairo: Hani Kamal El-Din
Adam Miller, a spokesman for the European Command (Eucom) of the US Armed Forces, said that the United States, at the invitation of Poland, is deploying two batteries of Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems in the country to repel potential NATO threats.
“At the direction of the Secretary of Defense and at the invitation of our Polish allies, the commander of the European Command of the United States Armed Forces, General Walters, has ordered the redeployment of two batteries of the Patriot air defense system to Poland.”
The EU Command spokesperson added that this step was taken “in a proactive manner in order to counter any potential threats to the United States, allied forces and NATO territories”.
“This is a prudent defensive measure that reinforces our commitment to Article 5 [of the NATO Charter] and is in no way intended to support offensive operations,” Miller said.
US media reported last Sunday that Poland may transfer “Russian planes” to Ukraine in exchange for receiving American F-16 fighters from the United States. According to sources, such a move would be in response to Kyiv’s call to close the airspace over Ukraine.
At the same time, Warsaw offered the United States to transfer Polish MiG-29s to Germany free of charge.
