NATO beefs up defense of Europe’s eastern flank after Poland shoots down drones

OMAR HAVANA / REUTERS

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Supreme Allied Commander Europe Alexus G. Grynkewich attend a joint news conference at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, today.

BRUSSELS/WARSAW >> NATO announced plans to beef up the defense of Europe’s eastern flank today, two days after Poland shot down drones that had violated its airspace in the first known action of its kind by a member of the Western alliance during Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Warsaw has portrayed the drone incursions as an attempt by Russia to test the capabilities of Poland and NATO to respond.

Earlier today, Poland’s leaders rejected Donald Trump’s suggestion that the incursions could have been a mistake, a rare contradiction of the U.S. president from one of Washington’s closest allies.

Russia said its forces had been attacking Ukraine at the time of the drone incursions and that it had not intended to hit any targets in Poland.

“It’s reckless and unacceptable. We can’t have Russian drones entering allied air space,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told a news conference, announcing operation “Eastern Sentry.”

The mission, which begins today, will involve a range of assets integrating air and ground bases.

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Allies, including Denmark, France, Britain and Germany have so far committed to the mission with others set to join, Rutte added.

NATO’s top military official, Supreme Allied Commander Europe Alexus Grynkewich, who is a U.S. Air Force general, said the alliance would defend every inch of its territory.

“Poland and citizens from across the alliance should be assured by our rapid response earlier this week and our significant announcement here today,” Grynkewich told the same news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

The United Nations Security Council was set to meet today at Poland’s request to discuss the incident.

Responding to Trump’s comment on Thursday that the incursion could have been an accident, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded on X: “We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it.”

Trump said in an interview with Fox News today that his patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin was “sort of running out and running out fast,” but stopped short of threatening new sanctions over the war.

After strong condemnation of Russia by European leaders over the incident, Germany said it had extended air policing over Poland and summoned the Russian ambassador today.

See more:Russia Attacks UkraineWorld news

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