Warsaw — Poland signed a contract with the US for the first phase of a Patriot air missile defence system to soothe the Nato member’s concerns over Russia’s assertive stance in the region. Under the $4.75bn deal, Poland’s largest weapons purchase, Patriot producer Raytheon will start deliveries of rockets and communication systems in 2022. The agreement follows Monday’s expulsion of more than 100 Russian diplomats by 24 nations in response to a nerve-agent attack in the UK and President Vladimir Putin’s unveiling of new weapons, including nuclear missiles he said could evade US defences. "It’s a historic moment. We’re fitting the Polish army with the most advanced defence system in the world," President Andrzej Duda said on Wednesday. Warsaw is concerned about Russia’s expansive policy towards eastern Europe, whose countries shrugged off the Kremlin’s Soviet-era domination before most of them joined the EU and Nato. Poland, which shares a border with Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave, ho...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.