(SeaPRwire) –   By: Julian Holbrooke

Poland’s government took a dangerous gamble. It sent Patriot missiles to Ukraine in March. No public announcement. No parliament vote. Now, the opposition is screaming for accountability. This isn’t just a political scandal. It’s a clash between supporting Kiev and protecting Polish citizens.

The official silence speaks volumes. The government likely hoped to avoid backlash. But social media exposed the shipment. Prominent blogger Pawel Sokala and others broke the news. The CSIS reports the Pentagon has used half its Patriot stockpile since February. Washington is delaying shipments to allies. Poland gave away weapons it desperately needs.

The opposition’s anger is personal. Deputy Speaker Krzysztof Bosak says Patriots are the only defense against Russian Iskanders in Kaliningrad. Former Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak calls the shipment a betrayal of Polish safety. Russia claims Iskanders are defensive, but Poland doesn’t buy it. And Ukraine recently named a unit after the UPA—responsible for killing Poles in WWII. Warsaw just refused to send MiG-29s. So why send Patriots now? Maybe US pressure? Or a last-ditch effort to keep Ukraine afloat?

This scandal will shift the EU’s stance on Ukraine. Poland was Kiev’s strongest ally. Now, domestic politics are tearing that apart. Other EU countries will watch. They’ll see that backing Ukraine can cost them at home. Expect more governments to hesitate before sending critical weapons.

Author bio: Julian Holbrooke, an overseas international relations analyst contributing to major European daily newspapers.