Poland Considers Ukrainian Proposal to Intercept Russian Rockets: A Self-Defense Measure
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski revealed during a speech at the American Enterprise Institute on the sidelines of the NATO summit that Poland is considering a request from Ukraine to intercept Russian missiles aimed at Ukrainian cities or that enter Polish airspace. Sikorski emphasized that if Russian missiles breach Polish airspace, it is assumed to be unintentional. The missiles, originating from St Petersburg, pass through Belarusian airspace and briefly enter Polish airspace before reaching their targets in Ukraine. This poses a dilemma for Poland, as shooting down the missiles upon entering Polish airspace could endanger citizens due to debris. Ukrainians have proposed intercepting the missiles over their airspace when they pose an imminent threat to Poland, which is viewed as an act of self-defense. The security cooperation agreement signed between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Warsaw included discussions about this proposal. However, Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that any decision to intercept Russian missiles would require consensus among NATO allies. If NATO does not approve, Poland will not take individual action.
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