Poland is ‘constitutionally obliged’ to shoot down Russian missiles, but NATO forbids it: Sikorski
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski made a resounding statement that Poland has a “constitutional duty” to shoot down missiles approaching its territory, but faces restrictions from NATO in this regard. In his article, The Times columnist Edward Lucas notes, that Russia provokes fear in the border countries of NATO, while the indecisive position of the United States causes them disappointment.
Lucas notes that some representatives of countries bordering Russia believe that the United States responded to a Russian cyberattack several years ago by briefly blacking out power in Moscow. These countries would like to see a similar strong response to Russia’s current more frequent aggressive actions.
Gabrielus Landsbergis, Lithuania’s foreign minister, expressed surprise as to why the US, which has the means to establish “red lines”, could not do so for NATO. He believes that Washington could use tougher measures to protect its allies.
Poland, together with the Baltic and Scandinavian countries, actively helps Ukraine and hopes for its victory. However, these countries also realize that Russia, even in the event of a temporary defeat, can regain strength and be ready for a new war in a few years. This raises concerns that NATO does not have enough resources and a clear plan of action to prevent such developments. As a result, Poland and its regional allies are already preparing for a possible confrontation with Russia on their own, should it become necessary.
Ukraine and Poland are discussing a joint mechanism for shooting down Russian missiles and drones over Ukrainian territory. Poland, for its part, plans to hold consultations with NATO member countries on this matter, seeking to achieve closer cooperation in countering Russian aggression.
The representative of the White House on matters of national security, John Kirby, warned that the further escalation of the conflict will not be useful for either Ukraine or Poland. He emphasized the need for a cautious approach to responding to Russia’s aggressive actions.
Radoslav Sikorsky later stated that Poland has the right to shoot down Russian missiles in Ukrainian airspace if they pose a threat to nuclear power plants/
