Poland’s foreign minister on Monday called on NATO to declare a no-fly zone over Ukraine to protect Europe after a wave of Russian unmanned aerial vehicles entered Polish airspace last week.
Radoslaw Sikorski said the incursions, which Warsaw and NATO officials have said involved about 19 Russian projectiles entering the country’s airspace, demonstrated the danger Russia poses to allied territory and warranted allied action. "We as NATO and the EU could be capable of doing this, but it is not a decision that Poland can make alone," he said, adding that shooting down drones over Ukrainian territory "would be advantageous for us" if Kyiv requested it and that "we should consider it."
Polish authorities said most of the drones were shot down or crashed near the Polish-Ukrainian border, though at least two were recovered more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) inside Poland. One reportedly slammed into the roof of a retiree’s home in the village of Wyryki as residents watched live television coverage of the incursions. NATO fighter jets were scrambled to respond to the aerial violations, and allied air defenses engaged some of the flying objects, Polish officials said.
The call for a no-fly zone comes amid renewed debate over Western measures to protect Ukraine from Russia’s growing drone campaign. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky first urged allies to establish a no-fly zone early in Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, saying Kyiv did not have the defenses to repel Moscow’s bombardments. The Biden administration rejected a no-fly zone at that time, arguing that enforcing one would require U.S. and allied pilots to engage Russian forces directly and could risk wider war. European leaders voiced similar reservations.
The Polish proposal faces political and military constraints. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated that he would not send American forces to fight in Ukraine, underscoring Republican resistance in the U.S. to deeper military involvement. NATO officials and member states must agree on collective action, and some allies remain wary of direct confrontation with Russia.
Days after the incident over Poland, Romanian jets were also scrambled after a Russian drone breached Romania’s airspace following attacks on Ukraine, NATO and regional officials said. Moscow denied deliberately targeting Poland and described last week’s incidents as accidental, while accusing NATO of overreacting.
Poland’s push for a NATO-enforced no-fly zone reflects heightened concern in eastern Europe about the spillover effects of the war in Ukraine. Allies will confront a complex judgment about the military feasibility of such a zone, the rules of engagement required to enforce it, and the diplomatic risks of escalation with Russia. For now, NATO’s immediate responses have focused on intercepting and shooting down aerial threats as they enter allied airspace and increasing air patrols in the region.