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France, Germany and Denmark will contribute fighter jets and other military assets to an enhanced defence of Poland against future Russian drone incursions, Nato leaders announced at a press conference on Friday.
The UK is also expected contribute to the Eastern Sentry mission, which will gradually be expanded across from the Arctic in the north to the Black Sea and Mediterranean in the south to better tackle Russian drones and missiles.
Mark Rutte, Nato’s secretary general, said: “In addition to more traditional military capabilities, this effort will also feature elements designed to address the particular challenges associated with the use of drones.”
In the early hours of Wednesday 21 Russian drones, thought to be unarmed decoys, crossed the border into Poland. Only three or four were said to have be shot down and one drone flew 160 miles into the country, forcing the closure of four airports.
At the time, Donald Trump said the incursion “could have been an mistake”, but he added: “Regardless, I’m not happy about anything having to do with that whole situation.”
Polish leaders were more certain. Donald Tusk, the country’s prime minister, posted on social media in English: “We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it.”
Rutte, however, remained on the fence. He said on Friday that Nato’s “assessment of the incidents on Wednesday is ongoing”, though he stressed that “whether or not Russia’s actions were deliberate, Russia violated Nato airspace”, necessitating a response.
“Russia’s recklessness in the air along our eastern flank is increasing in frequency,” Rutte added. “We have seen drones violate our airspace in Romania, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – whether intentional or not, it is dangerous and unacceptable.”
Standing alongside him was Nato’s most senior military chief, Gen Alexus Grynkewich, who said Nato engaged in “a highly successful operation” intercepting the drones with F-35 fighters from the Netherlands – but added: “We always learn something in the debrief.”
The American commander suggested it was the number of Russian drones that raised questions. The “scale of the incursion” was “obviously larger than previous incursions that we’ve had” and that “bringing additional resources to bear on this problem will help solve that”.
Denmark will contribute two F-16 jets and an anti-air warfare frigate to the effort, France three Rafale figthers and Germany four Typhoons. Nato military planners said the UK “has also expressed its willingness to support” the effort.
On Wednesday, the UK defence secretary, John Healey, said he had asked the British military to look at options for enhanced support for Poland amid hints from officials that the deployment of up to six Typhoons was under consideration.
Russia, meanwhile, said that peace talks had stalled. Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, told reporters: “Our negotiators have the opportunity to communicate through channels. But for now, it is probably more accurate to talk about a pause.”
In Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there was no sign that Russia’s ambitions to dominate its neighbour had changed.
“Putin’s goal is to occupy all of Ukraine. And no matter what he tells anyone, it is clear that he has set the war machine in motion to such an extent that he simply cannot stop it unless he is forced to fundamentally change his personal goals.”
The Ukrainian leader also welcomed Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, to Kyiv and said he was willing to offer him citizenship because Russia does not bomb the capital when he is visiting. Some believe this follows direct requests made by the White House to the Kremlin.
“When Keith Kellogg is in Kyiv, the residents of Kyiv can sleep soundly. Thank you. I would like you to visit all cities in Ukraine,” Zelensky said. “I am ready to grant Gen Kellogg citizenship. We can give him an apartment – anything he needs, if it will prompt Russia to cease fire.”
Yvette Cooper, the UK foreign secretary, was also in Kyiv on Friday, her first foreign trip since she was appointed last week during a cabinet reshuffle. Cooper said her visit, which was accompanied by an announcement of a new package of British sanctions on Russia, was intended to reiterate British support for Kyiv.
“The UK will not stand idly by as Putin continues his barbaric invasion of Ukraine,” she said. “International action to increase economic pressure on Russia and to cut off critical cash flows which he desperately needs to pay for this illegal war is vital.”
