Poland reaffirms NATO boundaries: No engagement with missiles over Ukraine

The Polish military has stated that it will not engage in the interception of missiles launched over Ukraine, as this does not fall within the remit of Poland's armed forces to ensure the security of NATO member states' airspace.

General Wiesław Kukuła, Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, confirmed this position during an interview with the newspaper Rzeczpospolita, Caliber.Az reports.

"No. Our stance and the stance of our NATO allies are clear. We will not do this. At present, our responsibility for defending the alliance's airspace is defined by our borders," the Polish general remarked.

This announcement underscores Poland's commitment to maintaining the defensive posture of its forces strictly within its own territory, aligning with NATO's operational framework.

Meanwhile, on September 2, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that Poland has an obligation to intercept Russian missiles destined for Ukraine before they enter its airspace.

Sikorski emphasised that Poland and other countries neighbouring Ukraine have a duty to prevent missiles from entering their territories. He stressed that safeguarding national airspace remains crucial, even if NATO does not fully support such actions.

"Membership in NATO does not override a nation's constitutional responsibility to protect its own airspace," Sikorski stated, arguing that intercepting missiles would constitute legitimate self-defence due to the risk of debris causing harm once they cross into national territory.

Poland's state news agency PAP reported that military officials had placed aircraft on standby and activated air defence systems after Russia launched a major overnight attack on Ukraine.

Poland’s armed forces confirmed that all necessary measures had been taken to ensure the security of its airspace and noted that the situation was under close observation.

By Aghakazim Guliyev