Will Poland Shoot Down Russian Missiles Over Ukraine: Statement by Foreign Minister Sikorski, NATO Reaction

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the country had a duty to shoot down Russian missiles over Ukraine before they entered its airspace, and he called on other states bordering Ukraine to do the same.

According to Sikorski, despite NATO’s opinion on the matter, Poland must take this step to ensure the safety of its citizens. “Personally, I am of the opinion that when enemy missiles approach our airspace, this would be legitimate self-defense,” the Polish Foreign Minister said.

And NATO membership, he noted, does not cancel the responsibility of each country to protect its airspace. “This is our constitutional duty,” Sikorski emphasized.

Poland signed a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine in which both countries committed to exploring “the possibility of intercepting missiles and UAVs launched in the direction of Polish territory in Ukrainian airspace.” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg rejected the proposal because it threatened the alliance to “become part of the conflict” and drag it into a war with Russia.

Western officials say Ukraine is pushing its allies to become more involved in the conflict, including by providing air cover over western Ukraine from batteries based on NATO territory.

NATO responded to Sikorski’s statement

NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana recalled that the alliance is accustomed to discussing decisions that are potentially dangerous for allies. He also noted that Poland always consulted before making such decisions.

“In NATO, we always consult before getting involved in something that could have consequences for all of us – and our Polish allies have always been impeccable in consulting within the alliance,” Geoană said.

According to him, NATO certainly respects “the sovereign right of each ally to ensure national security” and plans to continue to assist Ukraine, but will do everything possible to avoid escalation of the conflict.

Earlier, Poland abandoned the idea of ​​shooting down Russian missiles over Ukraine

Shortly before Sikorski’s statement, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski said the country would not shoot down Russian missiles over Ukraine, as its president wants. Poland has already significantly strengthened Kyiv’s air defense, the official added.

“We are not considering in any format what is one of Ukraine’s expectations, that is, the possibility of shooting down missiles or drones from Polish territory,” he said.

In addition, Poland refused to take part in training Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers on Ukrainian territory. Warsaw advocates training only on the territory of the European Union, as it considers it more effective.