Poland activates NATO Article 4 after Russian drone incursion
Photo: Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk (Getty Images)
Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk stated that after the penetration of Russian unmanned aerial vehicles into the airspace of Poland on the night of 10 September, Warsaw officially asked NATO to activate Article 4 of the Treaty, according to The Guardian.
The head of the government clarified that consultations with allies have already turned into a formal request for activation of Article 4. He noted that this is only the first step and Poland is counting on broad support during the discussions.
Tusk added that for now there are no grounds to declare a state of war. At the same time, he emphasized that the latest provocation is significantly more dangerous than previous incidents, which forces the country to seek the strengthening of security through allies.
He noted, although Poland values all manifestations of solidarity, "words alone are not enough," and Warsaw will ask for “much greater” support from NATO allies.
Tusk warns that the prospect of military conflict is “closer than ever since the Second World War.”
According to him, the violation of the airspace at night is only part of a broader security picture, taking into account that Russia and Belarus plan to conduct aggressive military exercises later this week.
Tusk notes that the first signals from NATO members testify to an understanding of the seriousness of the situation and the importance of further support for Ukraine in this context.
He notes Poland’s support for Ukraine in the war with Russia, saying that this is also fundamental for the security of Poland.
Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty provides that member states may initiate consultations when, in their opinion, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is under threat.
According to NATO data, Article 4 has been applied only seven times since the creation of NATO in 1949. The last time was in 2022, immediately after the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine.
Previously, on the night of 10 September, Russian drones invaded Polish airspace.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that at least two dozen strike drones of the Russian Federation this night were directed at Poland.
Tusk in turn says that into the airspace of Poland this night flew 19 Russian unmanned aerial vehicles, of which only 4 were shot down by the forces of Polish air defense.
At the same time, earlier drones of the Russian Federation had already flown into Poland; however, these were cases with 1–2 UAVs, which did not present a threat.
Tusk confirmed that on the night of 10 September, Russia attacked his country with drones. He called this a large-scale provocation.
