Loading…
NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has said it is up to Germany whether it wants to deploy a Patriot missile system in Ukraine to counter a Russian invasion. Photo/REUTERS/Richard Chung
According to him, the delivery of defense weapons is a national decision of the country concerned without having to obtain the approval of the NATO alliance.
Stoltenberg’s remarks came after Poland asked Berlin to transfer the Patriot missile system offered to Poland to Ukraine.
Germany has offered to deploy its advanced US-made Patriot missile system to Poland after the deadly explosion of a Ukrainian air defense missile. The missile, which was supposed to respond to a massive Russian attack, landed in a village in Poland on Tuesday last week.
Read also: Germany refuses to send Patriot missile systems to Ukraine
“I welcome Germany’s offer to strengthen Polish air defenses by offering to use Patriot batteries,” Stoltenberg said.
But he insisted that any plans to send special weapons to Ukraine were a national decision of the country concerned.
“Sometimes there are end-user agreements and things like that, so they have to consult other allies, but ultimately, it has to be taken up by the national government,” Stoltenberg said, as quoted AFP extensionSaturday (11/26/2022).
NATO allies have funneled billions of dollars worth of weapons into Ukraine to help it fight a Russian invasion, including modern air defense systems.
Germany has supplied Kiev with medium-range Iris-T systems as part of Western efforts to increase Ukraine’s protection against Russian attacks.
