Polish President Karol Nawrocki declared on Tuesday that Poland is prepared to “defend its territory” following an incident in which Warsaw accused Russia of violating its airspace with unmanned drones.
The statement came amid heightened tensions in the region, including a recent incursion by Russian military jets into Estonia’s airspace, which provoked a strong response from NATO, of which Poland is a member.
“Poland will always react adequately, and it stands ready to defend its territory,” Nawrocki told the UN General Assembly, adding:
“The Polish people, as well as countries of Central and Eastern Europe, will not be scared of Russian drones.”
He further emphasised: “We do not consent to Moscow’s ruthless acts of provocation against us and other European nations, testing our reactions and intimidating our societies.”
US President Donald Trump also weighed in on Tuesday, suggesting that NATO nations should shoot down Russian aircraft breaching their territories.
The Estonian airspace violation occurred last Friday, when armed Russian fighter jets entered for 12 minutes. This prompted NATO to scramble jets, while Tallinn called for immediate alliance consultations.
| Incident Details | Information |
| Country affected | Estonia and Poland |
| Type of violation | Russian drones over Poland; fighter jets over Estonia |
| Duration of Estonia airspace breach | 12 minutes |
| NATO response | Scrambled jets; alliance talks requested |
| Previous related event | Poland initiated NATO consultations after Russian drones were shot down over eastern Poland |
The drone and jet incursions follow a series of provocative Russian actions in the region, leading Poland to increase its alertness and emphasise the importance of collective defence under NATO frameworks.
Nawrocki’s comments underline Poland’s determination to resist Russian intimidation and assert the sovereignty of Central and Eastern European nations.
