Patriot air defense systems, wherever they are located, must remain in integrated NATO system, - Bundeswehr
Germany believes that all of its Patriot air defense systems, wherever they are located, should remain in the integrated NATO system.
Defense Ministry representative Arno Kollats said this at a briefing on Monday in Berlin, Censor.NET reports with reference to Ukrinform.
"There is a great interest in keeping these systems (Patriot - ed.) in the NATO system..." Kollats said.
He noted that the head of the department, Christine Lambrecht, has already made it clear that the Patriot systems are an integrated and integral part of NATO's defense, that this is Germany's contribution to the alliance's air defense system, that Germany must decide how to fulfill its obligations to introduce forces in the coming years rapid response. Therefore, Germany needs these systems also in order to be able to fulfill its obligations to its partners, the officer said.
He emphasized that Germany, having offered assistance to Poland, wants to help the ally protect its airspace from external threats - both with Patriot systems and with increased air patrols. "Both proposals remain in force," said the representative of the Ministry of Defense.
It will be recalled that Germany offered Poland Patriot systems to protect the airspace after missile strikes on the area bordering Ukraine. In response, Warsaw offered to place the Patriot in Ukraine near the border with Poland. It would be better for Poland's security, President Andrzej Duda said.
After that, a discussion took place, in which NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also joined. He said that the placement of air defense systems in Ukraine is possible, but Germany must decide on this. In this way, Stoltenberg denied the arguments of Minister Lambrecht, who initially referred to possible reservations from NATO.
