Poland Inks $2 Billion Air Defense Deal With US

Poland unveiled this week that it has signed a new defense deal with the United States valued at nearly $2 billion. This is for more Patriot air defense systems and expanded logistical support.

"The safety of Polish skies has no price," Deputy Prime Minister of Poland Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told a news briefing while discussing missile defense cooperation with Washington.

"Poland's defense ministry said implementing the agreement would enable the operational readiness of Patriot launchers, which form the foundation of the Wisla program," one international report says. "It aims to counter, among other things, short-range tactical ballistic missiles, including maneuvering missiles."

Under the same program, the NATO eastern flank country acquired its first two Patriot system batteries in 2018. The Trump administration has praised Poland for being among NATO's top spenders in terms of GDP.

Polish President Andrzej Duda has sought to fix a standard of defense spending of at least 4% of GDP, and even have it enshrined in the nation's constitution. Poland plans to spend 4.7% of GDP on defense this year, which is the highest in the NATO alliance.

"Poland is a model NATO ally and a leader in advanced air and missile defense," said US chargé d’affaires Daniel Lawton while attending a signing ceremony at the military base in Sochaczew. The event was also attended by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. 

Lawton added, "We are proud to celebrate another step in US-Polish defense cooperation – strengthening NATO’s eastern flank and deepening our strategic partnership."

Poland is now the only country in the world other than the US to possess the US Army's newest Patriot batteries with the integrated air and missile defense battle command system (IBCS).

Meanwhile, Tusk has sent a message to US President Donald Trump on the newly unveiled tariffs, including a 20% rate for the EU... "America could and always can count on Poland," Tusk said in English. "You have only friends here. And I can say the same thing about Europe as a whole."

"In our common European-American interest are a strong US, a strong European Union and a strong NATO, not weaker," he added. "Think about it, Mr President and dear American friends before you decide to impose tariffs against your closest allies. Cooperation is always better than confrontation."