Rising Tensions in Eastern Europe Due to Russian Drones Breaching Polish and Romanian Airspace

SadaNews - Tensions have escalated in Eastern Europe after days of Russian drones breaching Polish airspace, followed by Romania's announcement of intercepting a Russian drone that entered its airspace during an attack targeting Ukraine.

The Romanian Minister of Defense confirmed that the country's F-16 fighters intercepted the drone before it disappeared from radar about 20 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, describing the incident as reckless Russian behavior, and emphasizing Romania's readiness to defend every inch of NATO territory alongside its allies.

In Poland, a state of maximum alert prevails, especially along the eastern border, where Warsaw has decided to close crossings with Belarus in conjunction with Russian-Belarusian maneuvers.

Poland also announced a joint air operation with its allies to secure its airspace, while NATO launched "Eastern Guardian" operations to protect its eastern flank.

For its part, Russia asserted that its drones were targeting Ukraine and that their entry into Polish airspace was unintentional. However, NATO leaders emphasized that any aggression against Poland is considered an aggression against all NATO countries, which reinforces the collective defense umbrella.

On the international front, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed readiness to impose tough sanctions on Moscow provided that all NATO members commit, but he suggested that the Russian breach may have occurred "by mistake".

In contrast, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk rejected this characterization, considering the incident serious.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio deemed the entry of Russian drones into Polish airspace "unacceptable," but added that investigations have not yet determined whether it was intentional.

At the United Nations, the United States described the violations as "worrying", pledging to defend all NATO territory. The German military also reaffirmed its commitment to defending the alliance's eastern flank, emphasizing its forces' readiness for deterrence and protection of allies.