US Vows To Defend NATO After Russian Drone Incursion Into Poland
The United States has told the United Nations Security Council that it will defend “every inch” of NATO territory after drones from a Russian strike in Ukraine crossed into Polish airspace, prompting the alliance’s first recorded interception during the war.
The warning follows remarks from President Donald Trump suggesting the incursion could have been a mistake. European leaders and NATO officials have rejected that claim, insisting the drones entered Polish territory deliberately.
What triggered the US warning?
Acting US ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea said the violation of Polish airspace showed “immense disrespect” for Washington’s efforts to broker peace after Trump’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. She added that Russia had escalated its bombing campaign in Ukraine in recent weeks, coinciding with US attempts at mediation.
The incident on Wednesday (September 10) saw Poland shoot down drones that entered its territory with the support of NATO aircraft. It marked the first time a member of the Western alliance has taken such action since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022.
How did Poland and NATO respond?
Poland’s secretary of state Marcin Bosacki told the Security Council: “We know, and I repeat, we know that it was not a mistake.” He displayed images of a downed drone with Russian markings and insisted Poland “will not be intimidated.”
Slovenia’s UN envoy Samuel Zbogar reinforced the view, saying it was “hard to imagine that so many drones flew so deep over Polish territory, unintentionally.” NATO said the alliance was in close consultation with Warsaw, calling the incident a “deliberate provocation.”
What is Russia’s position?
Russia’s ambassador Vassily Nebenzia rejected claims of intent, saying Moscow had struck only targets inside Ukraine. He argued the drones involved had a maximum range of 700 kilometres, making it “physically impossible” for them to have entered Poland. He said Moscow was ready to talk with Warsaw “if the Polish side indeed is interested in reducing tensions.”
What are the wider implications?
The US and 42 other countries issued a joint statement condemning the incursion as a violation of international law and calling on Russia to end its “war of aggression.” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused western leaders of issuing statements without action, warning that Russia was “testing the limits of what is possible.”
Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk pledged to accelerate modernisation of his country’s armed forces, while the Polish air navigation authority introduced flight restrictions along the borders with Belarus and Ukraine.
The incident adds a new dimension to the war, raising the prospect of NATO being drawn more directly into a conflict it has so far sought to contain within Ukraine.
