Netherlands strengthens Polish air defences with Patriot systems

Dutch forces will bolster NATO's eastern flank amid growing regional tensions.
Text: Óscar Ontañón Docal
Published 2025-08-21

The latest news on Russia and Ukraine. The Netherlands will deploy Patriot air defence systems and military personnel to Poland in support of NATO's mission near the Ukrainian border, the Polish defence minister said on Thursday.

"Due to the ongoing events in Ukraine, the ongoing conflict, and Poland's role in logistically securing the transfer to Ukraine, the Netherlands has declared support for systems securing our airspace and air defence systems," he told a news conference.


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The move comes after recent drone incidents in eastern Poland, raising concerns over airspace security during the ongoing war next door. Warsaw has welcomed the Dutch commitment, highlighting Poland's role as a key hub for Western aid to Ukraine.

The deployment is set to cover several months, reinforcing both Polish defences and NATO's wider deterrence posture. Of course, it remains to be seen whether or not there are more drone incidents in Poland and how these measures will work, so stay tuned.

Vilnius Lithuania 2023-07-10 The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, the primary such system used by the United States Army and several allied states

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