WASHINGTON — Poland has proposed creating a trilateral cooperation framework with the United States and Ukraine to manufacture missiles for Patriot air defense systems. The proposal is intended to ensure production takes place in a secure location while helping meet the growing global demand for Patriot interceptors.
The proposal was presented by Poland's Deputy Minister of National Defence, Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, during meetings with officials from the Pentagon and the U.S. State Department in Washington.
According to Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, the proposed arrangement would allow the three countries to work together while addressing security concerns surrounding missile production.
"We proposed that this should be a trilateral cooperation framework, involving the United States, Ukraine, and Poland, because it is about securing the production process and ensuring that this manufacturing takes place in a safe location," she said.
She noted that Patriot missile interceptors are in high demand worldwide and said the cooperation could benefit all three countries by supporting production in a secure environment. Detailed negotiations on the proposal are expected to begin soon.
Proposal Aims to Address Security Concerns
The initiative follows the recent NATO summit in Ankara, where U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Washington would grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors.
While the licensing decision would allow Ukraine to produce the interceptors, U.S. officials have expressed concerns about establishing a manufacturing facility inside Ukraine because such a site could become a target for Russian airstrikes.
Poland has proposed hosting the production effort on its territory, arguing that manufacturing in Poland would provide a safer location while supporting Ukraine's production program. Sobkowiak-Czarnecka said the proposal directly addresses the security concerns raised by the American side.
Poland Expands Role in Patriot Support
The proposal builds on earlier statements by Poland's Minister of National Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who said Poland intends to cooperate with Ukraine on the production and maintenance of PAC-3 missiles used in Patriot air defense systems. PAC-3 interceptors are designed to counter ballistic missile threats.
Kosiniak-Kamysz also said Poland is preparing to play a broader role in regional air defense support. Poland has signed an agreement with the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden to establish a European service and maintenance center for PAC-3 missiles.
Although Ukraine has received approval to manufacture Patriot interceptors, the issue of whether similar production rights will be extended to other European countries remains unresolved. When asked whether other European allies could also receive authorization to manufacture the interceptors, President Trump said the matter is still under consideration.
Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that regardless of future licensing decisions for other countries, Poland is expected to play an important role in supporting Ukraine's Patriot missile production.
Discussions Also Cover U.S.-Poland Defense Cooperation
During her visit to Washington, Sobkowiak-Czarnecka also proposed establishing a dedicated regional Patriot maintenance and service center in Poland. She said Poland's expanding defense industry and its location on NATO's eastern flank make it well suited for such a role.
The discussions in Washington also covered plans to expand the U.S. military presence in Poland. According to Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, special working groups have already been formed within the U.S. government and Poland's Ministry of National Defence to prepare for an increased troop presence.
She also expressed optimism that an agreement could be signed in the coming weeks for a $4 billion U.S. credit line for Poland under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program. The funding is intended to support the purchase of additional American defense equipment as Poland continues to modernize its armed forces.
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