Poland won’t intercept Russian missiles over Ukraine, despite security pact provision
A Ukraine-Poland security deal signed on July 8 in Warsaw includes a provision for Poland to intercept Russian missiles and drones over Ukraine.
Poland will not intercept Russian missiles over Ukraine without NATO approval, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
“Poland will not make any decisions on this matter on its own and that it must be the decision of the entire NATO,” he told Polskie Radio.
The minister added that there is no such agreement within NATO and pointed to the White House’s position.
Earlier, National Security Advisor John Kirby stated that escalation would benefit neither Ukraine nor Poland, commenting on the proposal to allow Poland to engage Russian missiles and drones over Ukraine.
“We want to find ways to make Ukraine effective, but we don’t want escalation. This wouldn’t be good for Ukrainians, it wouldn’t be good for Poles, it wouldn’t be good for anyone,” he explained.
On 8 July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk signed a security agreement in Warsaw. While it includes a provision for Poland to potentially intercept Russian aerial threats headed towards its territory, the exact terms remain vague and need further clarification.
This agreement is part of a series of security pacts Ukraine has been establishing with Western allies.
Read more:
- Ukraine wants Poland to protect its skies near Ukraine’s border
- Zelenskyy announces creation of new Ukrainian volunteer legion in Poland
- Zelenskyy and Tusk to sign security pact between Ukraine and Poland today
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