Poland proposes joint Patriot missile production with US and Ukraine

Polish Deputy Defence Minister Magdalena Sobkowiak‑Czarnecka announced a trilateral plan with the United States and Ukraine to produce Patriot PAC‑3 intercept missiles and to establish a service centre on Polish territory. The proposal, presented during meetings with Pentagon and State Department officials in Washington, aims to locate the sensitive production away from the front line, addressing US safety concerns after President Donald Trump’s NATO‑summit pledge to license Patriot manufacturing for Ukraine. Poland seeks to host both the missile‑fabrication line and a regional maintenance hub, positioning itself as a secure NATO‑aligned site.

Ukraine has separately signed an agreement with Raytheon to co‑produce Patriot intercept missiles, a move President Volodymyr Zelensky praised as boosting domestic defence capacity. The joint effort is tied to broader EU defence financing, including a proposed $4 billion U.S. loan under the Foreign Military Financing programme and the EU’s SAFE funding mechanism. While Russian state media have criticised the Polish initiative, the cooperation is portrayed by Warsaw and Washington as strengthening NATO’s eastern flank and ensuring a reliable supply of Patriot ammunition for Ukraine’s air defence.

The plan is still under discussion, with working groups on both sides evaluating technical, security and financial details before any final commitments are made.