Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski pushes NATO to allow missile interception over Ukraine
As NATO ministers prepare to meet, Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski calls for a policy shift that would permit the interception of Russian missiles over Ukraine, warning of potential consequences if debris reaches Polish soil.
Next week, NATO will hold a ministerial meeting where discussion on the interception of Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory may be considered, says Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, according to TVN24.
Poland and Ukraine have enhanced their military collaboration to intercept Russian missiles and drones targeting Ukrainian airspace. A new security agreement signed in July 2024 allows Poland to potentially shoot down Russian aerial threats before they enter Polish territory, reflecting a significant shift in Poland’s defense strategy. While concerns remain about the risks of intercepting missiles over Ukraine and possible Russian retaliation, this cooperation is vital for strengthening regional security.
“It is a matter of coordination and discussion among our allies. We have a new NATO secretary general. Next week, there will be another NATO ministers’ meeting, and this issue might be raised as part of the agenda,” Sikorski said.
The official says the discussion on landing Russian missiles over Ukraine revolves around “where the right to self-defense begins and ends.”
“Do we have the right to shoot down such a missile only when it is already over our territory? In that case, there is no doubt, but then something like what happened in Przewodów could occur. The debris from such a missile could cause harm, injure, or even kill someone,” he noted.
On 15 November 2022, in the village of Przewodów in Lublin Voivodeship, near the Polish-Ukrainian border, two people were killed in a missile explosion.
Previously, Sikorski stated he supports intercepting Russian missiles over Ukraine using Polish and allied air defenses and hopes NATO will change its stance on this matter, according to UkrInform.
The Polish Ministry of Defense emphasized that any decision to intercept Russian missiles over Ukraine must be made at the NATO level, and currently, no such decision has been reached.
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