US vows to defend NATO territory after suspected Russian drone incursion in Poland

Audio By Carbonatix

Enlarge

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United States told the United Nations Security Council on Friday it would “defend every inch of NATO territory” after a suspected Russian drone incursion into Poland. 

“The United States stands by our NATO allies in the face of these alarming airspace violations,” acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea told the 15-member body. 

The remarks appear aimed at assuaging Washington’s NATO allies after U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said Russia’s alleged drone incursion into Poland could have been a mistake.

Shea also noted Russia has intensified its bombing campaign against Ukraine since Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska as part of his bid to broker an end to Moscow’s more than three-year war in Ukraine. 

“These actions, now with the addition of violating the airspace of a U.S. ally – intentionally or otherwise – show immense disrespect for good-faith U.S. efforts to bring an end to this conflict,” Shea said. 

 Poland shot down drones in its airspace on Wednesday with the backing of aircraft from its NATO allies, the first time a member of the Western military alliance is known to have fired shots during Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“We know, and I repeat, we know that it was not a mistake,” Poland’s Secretary of State Marcin Bosacki told the council. He showed photos of a downed drone, pointing out Russian lettering on parts of it. “Poland will not be intimidated.” 

‘PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE’

Slovenia’s U.N. Ambassador Samuel Zbogar also sought to dispel the suggestion that the drone incursion could have been a mistake, telling the council “it is hard to imagine that so many drones flew so deep over Polish territory, unintentionally.” 

Russia has said its forces had been attacking Ukraine at the time of the drone incursions and that it had not intended to hit targets in Poland.

“There were no targets marked on Polish territory,” Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council. “The maximum range of the drones used in this strike did not exceed 700 kilometers, which makes it physically impossible for them to have reached Polish territory.”

He said Moscow was willing to speak with Poland “if the Polish side indeed is interested in reducing tensions rather than fomenting tensions.”

The U.S. also joined Western allies in a joint statement on Friday to express concern about Russia’s drone incursion and accuse Moscow of violating international law and the founding U.N. Charter.

The statement, read by Bosacki ahead of the Security Council meeting, also called on Russia to stop “its war of aggression against Ukraine” and desist from further provocations.

The joint statement was backed by 43 countries.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Rod Nickel)