Italian missile destroyer to help protect Poland's Baltic coast: defence minister

Italy is sending a guided-missile destroyer to help strengthen Poland's coastal defence in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Polish defence minister has said.

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak (left) and Italy's Defence Minister Guido Crosetto (right) meet in Rome on Wednesday, May 17, 2023.

Twitter/Polish Ministry of Defence

Mariusz Błaszczak announced the planned arrival of the vessel at a media briefing in Rome on Wednesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

The Polish defence minister was visiting the Italian capital for talks with his counterpart Guido Crosetto, according to officials. 

Wicepremier @mblaszczak spotkał się dziś w Rzymie z ministrem obrony🇮🇹 G.Crosetto. Ministrowie omówili dwustronne relacje wojskowe w tym tematy modernizacji #WojskoPolskie. Rozmawiali także o sytuacji bezpieczeństwa w kontekście trwającego konfliktu na🇺🇦i kwestie dalszej pomocy🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/Q4VqSiURKS

— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) May 17, 2023

The Polish and Italian defence ministers discussed “bilateral military relations, including the modernisation of the Polish Army, the current security situation in view of the continuing conflict in Ukraine, and further support for Kyiv’s war effort against the Russian invasion,” reporters were told.

Błaszczak and Crosetto also talked about the agenda for the July summit of the NATO alliance in Vilnius, Lithuania, the PAP news agency reported. 

Today in Rome Deputy Prime Minister @mblaszczak will meet with Defense Minister G. Crosetto @MinisteroDifesa to discuss bilateral military relations, including🇵🇱Armed Forces modernization,current security situation in the context of war in🇺🇦&the agenda for Vilnius NATO summit. pic.twitter.com/b86vznUhCL

— Poland MOD 🇵🇱 (@Poland_MOD) May 17, 2023

Poland, Italy ‘working very closely’ on defence

Błaszczak, who is also a Polish deputy prime minister, said in a statement afterwards: “We are working very closely with our Italian partners. Italian soldiers are serving shoulder to shoulder with Polish troops in Latvia, as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence. Polish soldiers are also serving on a European Union mission in Sicily, so our cooperation is very good.” 

He added: “Some of Italy’s F-35 fighter jets were in Poland last year and we can also expect them this year. This shows the scope of our cooperation.”

Ministrowie obrony Włoch 🇮🇹 i Polski 🇵🇱 podczas spotkania w #Rzym omówili agendę zbliżającego się szczytu #NATO w Wilnie i kwestie związane z wydatkami na obronność państw #NATO.
- - @MinisteroDifesa pic.twitter.com/pA3WfPCFy0

— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) May 17, 2023

Italian missile destroyer will 'strengthen defence of Polish coast' 

Błaszczak said: “I am very happy about Italy’s decision to send a guided-missile destroyer to Poland. It will be heavily armed for anti-aircraft and anti-missile defence, to strengthen the defence of the Polish coast. This vessel will arrive in Poland in the next few days.”

Wicepremier @mblaszczak: bardzo się cieszę z decyzji ministra obrony 🇮🇹 @MinisteroDifesa. Wkrótce do 🇵🇱przypłynie 🇮🇹 niszczyciel rakietowy z silnym uzbrojeniem przeciwlotniczym i przeciwrakietowym. Wzmocni obronę przeciwlotniczą i przeciwrakietową polskiego wybrzeża. pic.twitter.com/znDpaYT9YB

— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) May 17, 2023

While in Rome, Błaszczak also laid flowers at the tomb of the late Polish-born Pope John Paul II in the Vatican, according to officials.  

He then attended a Holy Mass for Peace in the Polish Chapel of St. Peter’s Basilica, the PAP news agency reported.

The Deputy Prime Minister @mblaszczak laid flowers on the tomb of St. John Paul II. The 🇵🇱 delegation participated also in the Holy Mass for peace celebrated in the Polish Chapel in St. Peters’s Basilica. Tommorow marks the 103rd anniversary of the birth of the Polish Pope. https://t.co/TGy3u0GEy7

— PLinVatican (@PLinVatican) May 17, 2023

Błaszczak also met with Polish scouts and soldiers serving on an EU mission in Italy, officials said.  

Podczas wizyty w #Watykan wicepremier @mblaszczak spotkał się z polskimi harcerzami m. in. z Litwy, USA i Ukrainy oraz żołnierzami Polskiego Kontyngentu Wojskowego, którzy swoją służbę pełnią we Włoszech w ramach misji 🇪🇺
- @PLinVatican @DowOperSZ pic.twitter.com/LC0TMpj62G

— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) May 17, 2023

Thursday is day 449 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, gov.pl