Dutch FM summons Russian ambassador over drone incursion into Poland

Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel has summoned Russian Ambassador Vladimir Tarabrin to formally address the incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace during a wave of Russian missile strikes on Ukraine earlier this week.

The move follows the September 10 incident in which several drones crossed into Polish territory, prompting Poland to activate air defences and request consultations under NATO protocols, calling the incursion an “act of aggression,” Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Some of the drones were reportedly intercepted and shot down by Dutch F-35 fighter jets currently stationed in Poland, Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans confirmed on X.

Van Weel, who assumed the post of Foreign Minister on September 2, announced the diplomatic measure on September 11 ahead of a parliamentary debate. He emphasized that regardless of whether the violation was intentional or accidental—as Moscow has claimed—the breach of NATO airspace was “unacceptable.”

At approximately 12:30 p.m. local time, Ambassador Tarabrin met with a senior official at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “He was told that this is unacceptable,” Van Weel stated, reiterating that the motive behind the violation was irrelevant. "Several drones crossed the border throughout the night, some penetrating as far as 300 kilometres into Poland," he noted.

The drone incident has sparked alarm across the alliance, with several NATO member states—among them the Baltic countries, Romania, Spain, and Poland—also summoning Russian ambassadors for explanations.

In the Netherlands, the incident provoked swift and strong reactions from political leaders across party lines, many of whom called for a firm response and a renewed focus on collective defence within NATO.