US asking NATO to redeploy Patriot systems to Middle East: How allies respond
Illustrative photo: Patriot air defense missile system (Getty Images)
Poland’s defense minister says the country has no plans to transfer its Patriot systems to the Middle East. His statement comes after reports in Polish media that Washington had allegedly asked Warsaw to relocate one of the two batteries it has, according to Politico and Rzeczpospolita.
'Security of Poland is an absolute priority'
Poland’s Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz posted a statement on Twitter (X), noting that the country’s existing Patriot batteries are intended to protect Polish airspace and NATO’s eastern flank.
He stressed that nothing has changed in this regard and that Poland does not plan to relocate them anywhere.
"Poland’s security is an absolute priority," the minister emphasized. He also added that no official request had been received from the US.
US approached all allies
According to Politico, citing a senior defense official from one NATO country, Washington has approached all Alliance allies with two requests related to air defense.
The US is seeking batteries both for Ukraine and for the Middle East — to protect NATO assets in the region.
"Poland’s security is an absolute priority. This was a question that was sent to all allies," the source told the outlet.
Why this matters
Poland has two Patriot batteries, each consisting of 16 launchers. Most of the roughly 200 specialized PAC-3 MSE missiles ordered in 2019 are already in the country.
Amid the US and Israel war with Iran, Patriot systems in the region are being actively used. According to media reports, in the first 16 days of hostilities alone, the US and Gulf countries fired around 1,285 PAC-3 missiles.
The US–Israel war with Iran has been ongoing for more than a month. Due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and strikes on oil infrastructure, the global oil market has come under strong pressure in recent years.
The European Union has already called for preparations for prolonged disruptions in the energy market, warning of risks to the economy.
Against this backdrop, the US is trying to involve allies in protecting NATO assets in the region, in particular through the redeployment of Patriot batteries. However, European partners are showing restraint.
For example, France has closed its airspace to US aircraft heading to the combat zone.
Italy has done the same, refusing US bombers en route to strike Iran permission to land at a military base.
