NATO invokes Article 4 after Russian drones invade Poland
Photo: NATO activates Article 4 (Getty Images)
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has activated Article 4 in connection with the violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones. This will allow member states to discuss the situation with allies in the North Atlantic Council, according to Polish government spokesperson Adam Szlapka.
Slapka says that NATO had activated Article 4 in connection with the incursion of Russian drones into Poland. He adds that consultations had already taken place as part of the procedure.
According to Article 4 of NATO, member states can initiate consultations when, in their opinion, the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any of the parties is threatened.
There are currently only seven known cases where Article 4 has been invoked. The last time was in 2022, immediately after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier today, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk himself stated that after Russian drones entered Polish airspace on the night of September 10, Warsaw officially asked NATO to invoke Article 4 of the Treaty.
Last night, Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that at least 2 dozen Russian strike drones were directed at Poland that night.
Tusk, in turn, noted that 19 Russian drones flew into Polish airspace during the night, of which only four were shot down by Polish air defense forces.
This was not the first such incident. During over three years of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, Russian drones have flown into Poland more than once. However, the Poles themselves explained that these were cases involving 1-2 drones, which, in their opinion, did not pose a threat.
Today, Tusk confirmed that on the night of September 10, Russia attacked Poland with drones and called it a large-scale provocation.
