Putin tests EU and NATO unity with drone strike over Poland

The Russian aggression against Ukraine , which began in early 2022, has reached a new level with Poland's nationwide high alert. It was activated after its defenses detected 19 Russian drones over-roaming its airspace in the early hours of Tuesday to Wednesday. Several of them were shot down in collaboration with aircraft from other NATO countries as part of a joint operation.

Following the events, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk , a liberal, explained that his country had invoked Article 4 of the treaty governing the Atlantic Alliance and had opened consultations with all member countries to determine their response.

Poland is the EU's sixth-largest economy and shares more than 500 kilometers of border with Ukraine. Since the start of the war, it has intercepted drones in isolation, and several missiles have even landed on its territory, causing damage and deaths. However, the Central European leader considered that Moscow has once again crossed a red line with a drone deployment that he viewed as completely planned.

This message was also echoed by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security, Kaja Kallas , who stressed that initial indications show it was an "intentional, not accidental" action. She defined it as "the most serious violation of European airspace by Russia since the beginning of the war."

At press time, the remains of eight drones , along with a missile, had been found in the easternmost regions of Poland. The latter is believed to have been fired by defenses intended to intercept one of the drones. The airstrike allowed Russia to clearly demonstrate its capability to carry out operations far from the war front in Ukraine.

Expansionism and hostility toward those territories that, according to Moscow, should be part of its sphere of influence or a supposed security space come from a long way back.

A more "dangerous" cycle

According to Tusk, the "aggression" against Polish airspace will mark a turning point. Thus, all of Europe is immersed in "the closest thing to an armed conflict since World War II." This is a new scenario, "incomparably more dangerous" than the previous one, the president proclaimed.

Furthermore, the air raid could have regional implications, as initial investigations indicate the drones originated in Belarus . Belarus is Moscow's staunchest ally in Europe, although authorities in Minsk attributed their arrival in Poland to a detour caused by radio interference.

The Kremlin also resorted to its usual tactic of creating confusion. It asserted its willingness to talk with Warsaw about the drones, although it lamented the daily accusations from the EU and NATO of "provocations," in the words of Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The latest Russian show of force comes at a time when the EU is introducing profound changes to its security strategy. Hours after the airstrike, the debate on the state of the EU began in the European Parliament. Within this framework, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen advocated the implementation of a "drone wall" in eastern France to curb any Russian expansionist attempts and consolidate the military independence of the EU-27.

According to von der Leyen, "there is no doubt" that the eastern border protects the entire continent and that its reinforcement is precisely one of the demands of former communist countries, which "know better than anyone the threat posed by Russia."

The EU leader asserted that she will defend every "square centimeter" of her territory. This message was also delivered by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte , who decided to send a very strong message to the Kremlin: "Stop violating allied airspace and know that we are prepared, we are alert, and we will defend every inch of NATO territory."

Trump's response

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, US President Donald Trump reacted briefly and cryptically. "What about Russia? Here we go!" the Republican leader declared.

These words come after the Republican leader has chosen in recent weeks to distance himself from the Kremlin, following the controversial summit he held in Alaska less than a month ago with Putin. Putin came to the meeting with a long list of territorial and military demands.

Total condemnation of a "flight forward"

French President Emmanuel Macron , a centrist, called the airstrike on Poland another example of Moscow's "flight forward." He also asserted that his country would not compromise any international aid mechanism, a statement that takes on added significance given the economic and institutional crisis facing the EU's second-largest power.

From Germany, its chancellor, Christian Democrat Friedrich Merz , lamented Moscow's "long chain of provocations in the Baltic region and on NATO's eastern flank."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a Labour Party member, said the attack showed that Russia "has no interest in peace."

Similar messages were expressed by Canada, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. The discordant note was again sounded by Hungary's Viktor Orbán, who avoided attacking Moscow.