Even before the Minister of National Defence officially confirmed that Poland had transferred some Patriot system missiles to Ukraine, aides to President Karol Nawrocki maintained that the head of state had not been informed. Despite this, government spokesman Adam Szłapka now insists that “the president was aware of all decisions of this kind.” His statement contradicts earlier remarks by representatives of the Presidential Palace, as well as an account by Krzysztof Bosak, who said after speaking with the president that the government “does not provide full, transparent, and clear information” regarding the transfer of weapons to Ukraine.
In recent weeks, reports have emerged suggesting that Poland transferred some of its PAC-3 MSE missiles – the most advanced interceptors used by the Patriot air defense system – to Ukraine in recent months. Despite efforts by the American manufacturer to increase production, the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East, and the heavy operational use of these missiles have left them in short supply.
Opposition politicians and members of the president’s circle reacted critically to these reports. In response, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced on Sunday that, following consultations with the prime minister, he had ordered the declassification of all Polish military donations to Ukraine made between 2022 and 2026. During a press conference on Monday, he confirmed that Poland had transferred “several missiles for Patriot batteries” to Ukraine. He added, however, that “this does not diminish Poland’s security.”
The President Was Not Informed, but Szłapka Sticks to His Version
Yesterday, before the defence minister confirmed media reports and acknowledged that the government had transferred Patriot missiles to Ukraine, President Karol Nawrocki’s spokesman Rafał Leśkiewicz said: “I would like to know through what procedure the president is informed. Because I am not aware of any procedure under which the president is directly informed about the transfer of any specific donations to Ukraine.” This indicated that the Polish head of state had no knowledge of the matter.
Furthermore, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm Krzysztof Bosak revealed that he had spoken with President Nawrocki about the issue.
“Of course I asked him [whether he knew about the transfer of Patriot missiles to Ukraine]. I will not quote the details of our meeting and conversation, but I was generally authorized by the president to answer such questions by saying that the government does not consult the president on transfers of weapons to Ukraine and does not provide full, transparent, and clear information about them,” Bosak said.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government spokesman, Adam Szłapka, has continued to present a different narrative. Speaking on TVN24, he first admitted that he did not know how many missiles had been transferred or what proportion of Poland’s arsenal they represented.
He later stated that “this is a decision that is consulted with our allies, including the Americans. The president was aware of all decisions of this kind. He certainly did not object. That is why the Security Committee holds its meetings.”