A rare emergency session of the UN Security Council is set for Friday after Poland accused Russia of an unprecedented drone raid on its territory. NATO and EU partners are rallying to shore up Polish air defenses.
Overnight Tuesday, Polish forces shot down multiple drones suspected of entering its airspace. Authorities said this marked the 19th violation since 2022, though damage was limited to a house and a car.
France and Germany moved quickly to boost Poland’s security. Germany will expand its role in NATO’s Air Policing mission over Polish skies, while the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Sweden summoned Russian ambassadors in protest.
President Karol Nawrocki described the incursions as a test of NATO’s response mechanism. Prime Minister Donald Tusk invoked Article 4 of the alliance’s founding treaty—only the eighth time this measure has been used—to convene urgent talks on collective security.
NATO chief Mark Rutte condemned Moscow’s reckless behavior, praising the alliance’s air defenses. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel called the violations a threat to European security, and Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky labeled the drones a pure Kremlin provocation.
The UN Security Council meeting is scheduled at 3 p.m. New York time on Friday. Meanwhile, Poland has closed civilian air traffic along its eastern borders through December 9. As Europe’s security architecture faces a new challenge, the alliance’s unity will be under the spotlight.
Join the conversation: How should NATO adapt its air defense strategy for the digital age? Share your thoughts below.
Reference(s):
UN Security Council to meet over drone raid in Poland blamed on Russia
cgtn.com
