The political storm surrounding the transfer of Patriot missiles to Ukraine has quickly drawn a reaction from Germany. Coming to the defense of Donald Tusk’s government is the German daily Die Welt, which, instead of analyzing the controversy over the weapons transfer, attacks… the Polish opposition for demanding explanations.
The issue of transferring PAC-3 MSE missiles for Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine has sparked intense public debate in recent days. The information was first reported by Col. (Ret.) Piotr Lewandowski. It has now been officially confirmed by representatives of the current leadership of the Ministry of National Defence, including Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk. The opposition is demanding detailed explanations, arguing that the missiles are among the most valuable components of Poland’s air defense system. At the same time, the government has announced that it will disclose information regarding military aid provided to Ukraine between 2022 and 2026. Presidential spokesman Rafał Leśkiewicz said today that this is an attempt to divert public attention from the government’s current problems and scandals.
Germany Is Already Defending Tusk!
The German daily Die Welt has stepped in to help Donald Tusk out of political trouble. The newspaper did not refrain from criticizing the Polish opposition. According to the paper, the position adopted by Law and Justice (PiS) and other right-wing opposition parties has become one of the main elements of the political dispute.
“The national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) and other right-wing opposition parties criticized the fact that the decision was allegedly made without involving parliament and the president. According to them, Poland itself needs the PAC-3 missiles for the American Patriot system,” Die Welt wrote.
Berlin Highlights Its Own Initiative
The German newspaper also points to “Berlin’s efforts to secure additional ammunition for Ukraine.” It recalls that one of the initiators of the initiative was German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. It is worth remembering that at the very beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Berlin provided only 5,000 helmets as part of its “assistance.”
“Together with other European countries, he tried to secure just over 30 of the sought-after missiles,” the German newspaper writes.
The Dispute Reduced to… History
Moreover, the authors of the article attempt to place the current tensions surrounding the missile transfer in the broader context of relations between Warsaw and Kyiv, describing them as a consequence of disputes over the history of World War II. In this interpretation, criticism of the government by the Polish opposition is portrayed as stemming from domestic political rivalry.
“Relations between the allies – Poland and Ukraine – are currently strained due to disputes over the history of World War II. On the domestic political stage, the right-wing opposition is trying to use the issue to attack the government, accusing it of being overly accommodating toward Ukraine,” the article states.
Meanwhile, in Poland, the primary source of the current tensions is the decision by the authorities in Kyiv to honor one of its military units with a name referring to the UPA. That decision triggered a sharp dispute between Warsaw and Kyiv and has become one of the main topics of public debate. According to a United Surveys poll, Poles believe that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy bears responsibility for the current conflict in Polish-Ukrainian relations.