Poland to sign air defence deal with US worth almost $2 billion

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland and the United States will sign an agreement worth nearly $2 billion for the delivery of logistical support for the Patriot air defence system, Poland's defence minister said on Monday.

Poland is ramping up its defence capabilities, positioning itself as a key player on NATO's eastern flank in the face of an assertive Russia and also of a U.S. administration under Donald Trump that has sharply criticised Europe over security matters.

"The safety of Polish skies has no price," Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told a news briefing on Monday, adding that missile defence and cooperation with the United States are a priority.

Kosiniak-Kamysz later confirmed to Reuters by text message that the value of the contract was almost $2 billion.

The agreement with the U.S. concerns the delivery of logistical support for the Patriot system within the Armed Forces and includes technical support components as well as training.

Poland's defence ministry said implementing the agreement would enable the operational readiness of Patriot launchers, which form the foundation of the Wisla programme. It aims to counter, among other things, short-range tactical ballistic missiles, including manoeuvring missiles.

Poland acquired its first two Patriot system batteries from the United States in 2018 under the Wisla programme.

Spurred by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland has become NATO's top spender in terms of the proportion of its national wealth devoted to defence. Warsaw said it will spend 4.1% of gross domestic product on defence in 2024 with a pledge to increase this to 4.7% in 2025.

Polish President Andrzej Duda has proposed enshrining defence spending of at least 4% of GDP in the constitution.

(Reporting by Barbara Erling; Editing by Gareth Jones)