Russian drones entering Polish and NATO airspace was no coincidence, and any claims of a Ukrainian “provocation” echo Kremlin propaganda, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said during a joint press briefing with his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiha, a Kyiv Post journalist reports.
“This penetration of Polish and NATO airspace by Russian drones is a moment of truth. The drones entered not only from Ukraine, but also from Belarus. The air battle lasted seven hours. This is not an accident, and anyone who says it was a Ukrainian provocation is either the author or an accomplice of Russian propaganda,” Sikorski stated.
Poland and NATO allies scrambled jets and shot down around four of the 19 or more Russian drones entering Polish airspace.
The minister urged journalists to be cautious in their reporting to avoid amplifying disinformation and fake news. While Poland maintains diplomatic relations with Moscow, he reminded the press conference that restrictions on Russian diplomats remain in place – with their numbers strictly limited.
Sikorski also linked the escalation to broader geopolitical tensions: “The intensification of Russian attacks after the summit in Alaska shows Moscow is not ready to build peace. It is not ready to accept the ceasefire Ukraine is prepared for.”
Expressing solidarity with Kyiv, he stressed Poland’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Ukraine.
“We Poles regret seeing the innocent people of Ukraine continue to suffer. But we will not abandon our allies, and we are ready to expand our cooperation,” he said.
Sikorski arrived in Kyiv on Friday for talks on security, just days after a drone raid into Poland raised concerns over the spillover of Russia’s war.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha shared a photo of the two officials meeting at a train station in Kyiv on X, writing: “Against the backdrop of Russia’s escalation of terror against Ukraine and provocations against Poland, we stand firmly together. We will hold substantial talks today about our shared security, Ukraine’s EU and NATO accession, and pressure on Moscow.”
The visit comes as Russia and Belarus – both bordering Poland – launched major joint military drills early Friday.