The construction of a tank repair center in Poland is progressing slowly: Defense Minister Pistorius calls for a quick clarification. Poland wants German Patriot anti-aircraft systems to remain in the country until the end of the year.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has called for rapid progress in setting up and operating a repair center for Leopard 2 main battle tanks in Poland. The talks should be completed in the next ten days if possible, said Pistorius in the city of Zamosc after a meeting with his Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak. “It has to be clear: repairs are part of sustainable support for Ukraine.”
Pistorius and Blaszczak had already agreed in April to set up the repair center. Leopard main battle tanks from Germany and Poland, which are used by Ukraine in the fight against Russia, are to be repaired there. The center was to be set up by the armaments manufacturer Bumar-Labedy in Gleiwitz (Gliwice) in Upper Silesia and was supposed to start work in May. But things are not progressing.
According to a report in the “Spiegel”, the German side considers the price expectations of the Poles for repair work to be overpriced. Pistorius spoke of “intensive, complex negotiations”. He agreed with Blaszczak that solutions had to be found now.
Hope for extended Patriot deployment
Meanwhile, Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak hopes that the deployment of German Patriot air defense systems in his country will be extended. “We are interested in the Patriot systems remaining on Polish territory at least until the end of the year,” Blaszczak said.
Blaszczak pointed out that with the transfer of Russian nuclear weapons and fighters from the Wagner mercenary group to neighboring Belarus, the threat to Poland had increased. Originally, the German Patriots were only supposed to stay in Zamosc until the end of June. After the conversation, Pistorius wanted to visit the firing positions of the Patriot anti-aircraft systems. The Bundeswehr has been deployed there with 320 people since January.
Zamosc is not far from Poland’s border with Ukraine, which has been defending itself against a Russian invasion for the past 16 months. The Patriot systems are designed to protect Poland’s airspace. There had been political bickering between Berlin and Warsaw over their stationing. The then Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) had agreed with Blaszczak to transfer German patriots to Poland. But then Blaszczak suddenly suggested that Germany should better station the Patriots in Ukraine. This caused considerable irritation in Berlin. Finally an agreement was reached.