Tusk rules out sending Patriots to Ukraine

Poland cannot transfer any Patriot systems to Ukraine as it lacks reserves of its own, but will provide other forms of assistance in terms of air defense, Prime Minister Donald Tusk told reporters on April 22.

Ukraine is facing a shortage of air defense systems amid an uptick in Russian attacks on population centers and energy infrastructure. U.S.-made Patriot systems are highly effective at intercepting Russia's ballistic and cruise missiles.

Poland has a Patriot system installed at Rzeszow airport in southeastern Poland, a key logistics hub for defense aid deliveries into Ukraine.

Sending this system to Ukraine is not an option, as it was installed by the U.S. military to protect the airfield, Tusk said.

"We don't have this reserve when it comes to Patriots," Tusk said.

Poland can provide other types of weapons that help defend Ukraine from Russian missile and drone attacks, Tusk said, without providing further details.

Germany announced on April 13 that it would provide Kyiv with an additional Patriot system, the third Patriot system Berlin has provided. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz then called on other NATO allies to do the same.

Poland has so far committed 4.301 billion euros ($4.578 billion) in support to Ukraine, 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion) of which is military aid, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

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