Polish FM warns Russia of NATO response to any aggression

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said he had directly warned Russia that NATO would respond if Moscow launched an act of aggression against the alliance.

Speaking on The Sikorski Front program, the Polish FM said he had emphasized to Russian interlocutors that NATO has more combat aircraft and would respond both defensively and offensively.

“I told the Russians, also for the purpose of deterrence, that they should be careful because we have more combat aircraft than you do. So if you do something that no one wants, we will not just sit and not react - we will respond both in defenCe and in offense,” the minister stated.

Sikorski cited Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil-refining facilities as an example of the potential impact of air operations. According to estimates cited by the minister, Ukraine has destroyed between 30% and 40% of Russia’s oil-refining capacity, creating logistical difficulties for both the Russian civilian economy and military.

He argued that if Ukraine had been able to inflict such damage despite having virtually no combat aviation capable of operating over Russian territory, NATO air forces could potentially achieve much more.

Sikorski also said strikes against oil-refining facilities were legally permissible under international law and could have a psychological effect. He contrasted such attacks with violence against civilians, which he said historically tends to produce the opposite result by strengthening social cohesion rather than undermining morale.

The Polish foreign minister has previously responded to threats attributed to the Kremlin that Russia could defeat Poland within “2-3 days.” Sikorski acknowledged that Russia would have a significant military advantage in a potential conflict with Poland but questioned whether Moscow would be able to translate that advantage into a successful military campaign.

By Vafa Guliyeva