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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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US president Donald Trump has suggested that Russia’s incursion into Polish airspace “could have been a mistake”.
Polish air defences and Nato aircraft sprung into action on Wednesday 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.
“I’m not happy about anything to do with the whole situation, but hopefully that’s going to come to an end,” Trump told reporters before boarding Marine One.
The United Nations (UN) Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting after Russian drones entered Polish air space.
Representatives from member countries will meet at Poland’s request to discuss the unprecedented incursion into Nato territory, which took place on Wednesday morning.
Trump reacted by taking to Truth Social, writing: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”
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.
US president Donald Trump on Thursday has said that Russia’s drone incursion into Poland could have been a mistake.
“I’m not happy about anything to do with the whole situation, but hopefully that’s going to come to an end,” Trump told reporters before boarding Marine One.
Trump subsequently added that he would condemn Russia “even for being near that line.”
“I don’t like it,” he continued. “I’m not happy about it.”
“This Russian provocation, as the generals and our soldiers are well aware, was nothing more than an attempt to test our capabilities, our ability to respond,” Polish President Karol Nawrocki told soldiers on Thursday.
It comes after Polish air defences and Nato aircraft sprung into action on Wednesday after 19 objects intruded Polish airspace including drones entering from Belarus, said Polish prime minister Donald Tusk. There have been no injury reports and Moscow has so far denied responsibility for the incident.
Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told parliament on Thursday Poland’s logistical support for Ukraine may have been a motivation for the incursions – most aid for Ukraine transits via Poland.
“This is an attempt to weaken NATO’s and Poland’s willingness to support Ukraine,” he said.
Poland is bracing for joint military drills between Russia and Belarus that are set to take place close to its border from Friday.
The Zapad 2025 (West 2025) military exercises will aim to showcase the close links between Moscow and Minsk, as well as Russian military might amid its 3-year-old war in neighboring Ukraine.
Troops from both countries will simulate repelling an attack, including airstrikes and sabotage, according to official reports.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk has previously announced his country would close its border with Belarus from midnight on Thursday.
Even before the drone incursion, Tusk said Tuesday the Zapad exercises constituted “very aggressive” military maneuvers “very close” to his country’s border, accompanied by “provocations” by Russia and Belarus.
Sweden is budgeting another 70 billion crowns ($7.47 billion) for military support to Ukraine over the coming two years, Defence Minister Pal Jonson said on Thursday, adding the country also stood ready to lend further support Poland if needed.
Much of the spending would be allocated through purchases managed by Sweden’s defence material agency, for instance of additional Archer artillery systems, a type already being used by Ukrainian troops in the war with Russia.
Jonson told a press conference that, following a suspected Russian drone incursion in Poland on Wednesday, Sweden stood in solidarity with Poland and was ready to contribute military assets to the country if needed.
“We have immediately been in contact with Poland’s defence minister where we have said we are willing to make available resources if Poland identifies an interest in this,” Jonson said, adding any such support would be coordinated within NATO.
“We are in full solidarity with Poland,” he said.
Many of today’s headlines from Ukraine have focused on the fallout after Poland shot down a number of Russian drones in its airspace on Wednesday.
The UN Security Council announced on Thursday it had been asked by Poland to convene an emergency meeting over the incident, which was described as “the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two”.
But where were the drones shot down and how many were there?
Alex Croft has the details…
US envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg reportedly visited Kyiv on Thursday after Russia encroached on Poland’s airspace.
The EU is sticking to its deadline to phase out Russian oil and gas imports by 2028, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said on Thursday.
After a meeting with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, he said they were “driving” to cut all Russian oil and gas imports, adding the “biggest filler of that hole has been energy exports from the United States”.
The EU is negotiating legal proposals to completely phase out imports of Russian oil and gas by January 1, 2028, with a ban on short-term contracts kicking in from next year, but it also faces pressure from the United States to end Russian energy imports sooner.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday the EU was considering a faster phase-out of Russian fossil fuels as part of new sanctions against Moscow.
EU officials were in Washington earlier this week to discuss sanctions, but Jorgensen said that sanctions were not discussed during his meeting with Wright in Brussels on Thursday.
Jorgensen’s focus was making sure EU countries and lawmakers approve the 2028 phase out as soon as possible, he said.
“This is a very, very ambitious plan,” he said.
“If there are any other things that we can do, at the same time, that will also put pressure on Russia, I am of course very happy to do that,” he said.
US President Donald Trump told European leaders last week to stop buying oil from Russia, a White House official said. But on Thursday, Jorgensen declined to comment on whether Wright had asked the EU to quit Russian gas and oil faster.
The EU’s proposed phase out by 2028 is designed “to happen in a way that doesn’t lead to increase in prices, and future supply problems”, Jorgensen said – adding that this would require Europe to buy more US liquefied natural gas.
On Wednesday morning, Poland shot down what it said was a “huge number” of Russian drones in its airspace.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk told parliament it was “the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two”.
But what were the drones, and why were they there?
Max Hunder explains below…
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