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Poland’s PM Tusk says ‘huge number’ of drones entered Polish airspace during major attack on western Ukraine
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Donald Trump has reacted after Russian drones entered Polish air space in an unprecedented incursion into Nato territory.
Taking to Truth Social, the US president said: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”
Polish air defences and Nato aircraft sprung into action overnight after 19 objects intruded Polish airspace including drones entering from Belarus, said prime minister Donald Tusk. There have been no injury reports and Moscow has so far denied responsibility for the incident.
Poland’s president Karol Nawrocki spoke to Trump among other Nato allies in talks that “confirmed unity,” he said. As European and Nato countries rally to Poland’s defence, the US has vowed that it will help defend Nato territory following the incursion.
The US would defend “every inch of Nato territory”, Washington’s ambassador to Nato Matthew Whitaker said.
Prime minister Donald Tusk activated Article 4 of the Nato treaty, demanding discussion with its member states, as he said Poland was closer to conflict than it had ever been since the Second World War.
The Nato response to Russian drones targeting Poland must go beyond diplomatic disapproval – and result in real action, writes Keir Giles. Failure to do so will encourage Putin to test the West’s resolve in yet more countries.
Read more here:
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday said he spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on a phone call and shared concerns about the situation in the Middle East in the aftermath of Israeli strikes in Qatar.
The two leaders also spoke about developments in Russia’s “war of aggression against Ukraine,” particularly following Russian drone incursions into Poland, Macron said in an X post.
“Close cooperation between Europeans and Americans is crucial on each of these fronts,” Macron said.
Polish president Karol Nawrocki has spoken to President Trump to “confirm allied unity” after Russia violated Polish airspace.
He said: “Just a moment ago, I spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the repeated violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones, which occurred last night. The conversation is part of a series of consultations I am conducting with our allies. Today’s talks confirmed allied unity.”
“The violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones is rightly described as having brought the Eastern European country closer to conflict than at any time since the Second World War. There can be no substitute for collective security – with or without Donald Trump.”
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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said he offered Polish prime minister Donald Tusk assistance following Russia’s incursion in Polish airspace.
He said he offered “assistance, training, and expertise in shooting down Russian drones, particularly ‘shaheds’.
“Donald and I agreed on appropriate cooperation at the military level. We will also coordinate with all NATO member states.”
Poland has received offers of support for its air defence from its European allies, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said after talking to leaders of France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Ukraine and NATO.
“In my conversations today… I received not only expressions of solidarity with Poland, but above all proposals for concrete support for the air defence of our country,” Tusk wrote on X after Poland shot down suspected Russian drones in its airspace on Wednesday.
Poland has warned it is closer to conflict than at any point since World War 2 after after Russian drones entered its airspace in an unprecedented incursion into Nato territory.
Polish air defences were scrambled after 19 projectiles drones entered its airspace during a major attack on western Ukraine, prime minister Donald Tusk said.
It marks the first time a Nato country has fired any bullets in relation to Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine since it began in 2022. Mr Tusk has invoked Article 4 of the Nato treaty, demanding consultation with its member states.
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