BERLIN: German Defence Ministry has said that Berlin has offered to extend the deployment of 3 Patriot air defence units in Poland until December 2023, Western media reported on Tuesday.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said that an extension beyond the end of 2023 was not foreseen. It added that several of Germany’s Patriot units were required for utility by NATO’s quick response force in 2024.
Germany Ready to Extend Patriot Air Defence Deployment to Poland
Three Patriot air defence units and about 300 German troops have been based in the Polish region of Zamosc, about 50 km from the Ukrainian border, since the start of the year to secure the town and its key railway link to Kyiv.
The placement was prompted by a stray Ukrainian missile that struck the Polish region of Przewodow in the region last November in a mishap that raised fears of the conflict in Ukraine spilling over the border.
During a trip to the region in July, German Minister for Defence Boris Pistorius had not immediately replied to a request by his Polish Minister for Defence to extend the Patriot mission.
Ties between Germany and Poland have been strained, with the two countries at odds over a range of issues – from weapons deliveries to Ukraine to an EU migration agreement rejected by Poland.
