Poland is weighing the possibility of downing Russian missiles over Ukraine using its air defense systems.
"This issue is being considered from a legal and technical point of view, but there are no decisions in this matter," Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski told Ukrainian news outlet Ukrinform on Wednesday.
Newsweek reached out to the Russian and Polish Foreign Ministries and NATO for additional comment.
The Context
The news comes amid rising tensions between Russia and NATO member Poland over the war in Ukraine.
Warsaw has been forced to scramble its fighter jets to protect its airspace during large-scale Russian missile strikes on Ukraine. Poland has said that Russian missiles fired at western Ukraine entered its airspace on multiple occasions. Russia has said incursions were accidental.
What We Know
Wronski said Ukraine approached Poland to suggest using Polish air defense systems to shoot down Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory.
Discussions on the matter began in Poland after a Russian missile fired at Ukraine entered its airspace in March. The Russian missile, which was traveling around 500 miles per hour at 1,200 feet altitude, entered Poland's airspace for 39 seconds near the town of Oserdow.
Officials are discussing the legal implications of downing Russian missiles over Ukraine, Wronski told Ukrinform. The Foreign Ministry spokesman ruled out the possibility of Poland sending Ukraine its air defense systems.
"There is no discussion of this in Poland at all. There is no possibility of the Polish air defense system being outside the country's borders," Wronski said.
Previously, Poland's deputy foreign minister said his country was considering whether to shoot down any Russian missiles that go close to its borders.
"NATO is analyzing different concepts, including that such missiles should be shot down when they are very close to the NATO border," Andrzej Szejna told Polish radio station RMF FM in March. "But this should happen with the consent of the Ukrainian side and taking into account international consequences."
Views
Jacek Siewiera, head of the National Security Bureau of Poland, has advocated for his country preemptively shooting down Russian missiles heading toward NATO airspace.
"So far, we have had a very big problem with this. It's due to formal regulations, the decision-making processes, and also due to a certain culture of peacekeeping states," he said during a television broadcast in late March.
What's Next?
Politico reported Wednesday, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the matter, that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky intends to ask his NATO allies next month to shoot down Russian missiles.
Zelensky will make the request after attending a D-Day commemoration in France in June and the G7 meeting in Italy, according to the outlet.
Newsweek couldn't independently verify the report and has reached out to Ukrainian authorities for comment via email.
Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war? Let us know via worldnews@newsweek.com.
Update 5/23/24, 7:38 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 5/23/24, 8:03 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
About the writer
Isabel van Brugen is a Newsweek Reporter based in Kuala Lumpur. Her focus is reporting on the Russia-Ukraine war. Isabel ... Read more