NATO has announced a significant expansion of air defence support for Poland, with Germany, Denmark, and France committing fighter jets and other military resources to strengthen the alliance’s eastern flank. The decision, confirmed on Friday, is part of a broader effort to deter aerial threats after an incursion of Russian drones this week.
New deployments
The new deployments will operate under the so-called Eastern Sentry framework, combining conventional military capabilities with systems designed to counter the growing threat posed by drones.
The announcement by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Friday follows a serious breach of Polish airspace earlier on 10 September. Some 21 drones entered Polish territory, with one reportedly flying over 250 km inland and triggering airport closures. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk made clear his thoughts on X:
We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it. – Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland
NATO’s secretary general made clear that any unauthorised intrusion into alliance airspace required a defensive response.
US affirms position at UN
The incursion was also the subject of a UN Security Council meeting on Friday, during which the United States reaffirmed its commitment to “defend every inch of NATO territory”.
“The United States stands by our NATO allies in the face of these alarming airspace violations,” US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea told the 15-member council, Reuters reported on Friday.
