Emergency United Nations Gathering Convened by Poland Due to Suspected Drone Attack Linked to Russia
Poland has called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and activated NATO's air defenses after a drone raid on its territory, marking a significant escalation of tension with Russia. The ally has condemned the incident, which occurred a day ago, as a test of NATO's resolve. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described it as an unprecedented escalation of tension with Russia. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, also known as Tusk, called a NATO meeting under Article 4, which allows a member to call urgent talks when it feels its 'territorial integrity, political independence or security' are at risk. In response, NATO's air defenses were activated to protect Polish airspace. According to available information, Poland has actively shot down several Russian drones that violated its airspace, with support from at least one German defense system. There is no indication that any NATO countries present over Polish territory have chosen not to attempt to shoot down these stray Russian drones. The UNSC will hold an emergency meeting to discuss 'the violation of Polish airspace by Russia.' The Polish President, Karol Nawrocki, stated that the incident was an attempt to test the mechanism of action within NATO and Poland's readiness to respond. Poland boosted social security on Thursday, closing air traffic along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine to civilian flights up to an altitude of three kilometers (1.9 miles) until December 9. The few open border crossings with Belarus will be closed starting on Friday over the Zapad ('West') drills. The Polish National Security Council will also meet later on Thursday. Poland's allies, including the EU, have expressed solidarity with the country, with EU leaders pledging to stand by Poland in the face of this provocation. Notably, China, which has never denounced Russia's war in Ukraine, expressed hope that Russia and Poland would solve the dispute through 'dialogue.' However, Poland's President Nawrocki denounced Moscow's 'reckless behavior' and hailed NATO's 'very successful reaction.' The defense minister is set to brief parliament on the latest findings. The talks with Poland's allies, including a phone conversation between President Nawrocki and US counterpart Donald Trump, are part of a series of consultations aimed at addressing this escalating situation. Officials reported that drones violated Polish airspace 19 times, but there were no casualties and the damage was limited, with a house and a car being destroyed. Tusk stated that the situation brings Poland closer than ever to open conflict since World War II. This is only the eighth time Article 4 has been used, underscoring the gravity of the situation. The incident reaffirms the importance of NATO's collective defense commitment and the unity among Poland and its allies. Nawrocki stated that the talks reaffirmed this unity. As the situation continues to unfold, it is clear that Poland and its allies are taking this threat seriously and are prepared to respond accordingly. The world watches as this tense standoff between Poland and Russia unfolds, with hopes that diplomacy and dialogue will prevail.
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