Closest To Open Conflict Since World War II?

Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones Over Airspace; Closest To Open Conflict Since World War II

Stefan J. Bos

Poland’s government said Wednesday it was forced to shoot down suspected Russian drones over its territory in what officials called the nation’s closest step toward armed conflict since World War II, raising alarm across Europe and beyond.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s spokesperson confirmed that he is expected to hold urgent talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski described the incident as an “unprecedented” attack, warning that the drone incursions were a “threat to all” of the European Union and the NATO military alliance. He rejected suggestions that the drones had strayed into Polish territory by accident.

“As you know, Russian drones have veered into Polish airspace before, and not only drones, but also cruise missiles. One of them, during this war, landed 10 kilometers (6 miles) from my house,” Sikorski told reporters. “When one or two drones does it, it is possible that it was a technical malfunction, but in this case, there were 19 breaches, and it simply defies imagination that could be accidental.”

Poland’s foreign ministry summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires in Warsaw to protest the incident. The Russian envoy reportedly refused to acknowledge that the drones were Russian.

Warsaw has also formally invoked NATO’s Article 4, which calls for urgent consultations with allies when a member perceives a direct threat to its territorial integrity or security.

‘GRAVE CONCERN’

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the alliance monitored the situation with “grave concern” and vowed that allies “stand shoulder to shoulder with Poland.”

French President Emmanuel Macron called the incursion “a deliberate provocation that tests NATO unity.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said London “unequivocally supports Poland’s right to defend its airspace,” while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pledged that Rome would back “firm and proportionate measures.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Poland’s response, warning that “Russia’s aggression does not stop at Ukraine’s borders — it threatens all of Europe.”

Lithuania’s foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said the attack was “a wake-up call for NATO” and urged stronger air defense coordination across the alliance’s eastern flank.

US REACTION

The White House said it was in close contact with Warsaw.

A senior official emphasized that “an attack on one NATO ally is considered an attack on all,” though Washington stressed consultations were ongoing before any direct military response.

The Russian Foreign Ministry denied responsibility, calling the accusations “baseless and provocative.” Moscow suggested the drones may have been Ukrainian or the result of technical failures, and accused Warsaw of “escalating tensions to draw NATO deeper into the conflict.”