Poland formally invokes NATO’s ‘Article 4’

(MENAFN) Poland has formally invoked Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty, which allows member states to request consultations if they believe their security is threatened, following what it called “an act of aggression” by Russia.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that he made the request after briefing lawmakers on alleged airspace violations. Russia has not responded to the claims.

According to Tusk, the Polish military detected 19 separate airspace breaches over seven hours, shooting down at least three and possibly four drones. He suggested the aircraft originated from Belarus rather than Ukraine and described the events as a Russian “provocation.”

The Belarusian military reported that it had warned Polish authorities in advance about some drones used by Ukrainian and Russian forces that had gone off course due to electronic warfare interference.

“This allowed Poland to respond promptly by scrambling its forces,” said General Pavel Muraveiko, Belarus’s chief of the general staff. He added that some of the stray drones were intercepted by Belarusian air defenses and emphasized that such communications with Poland are routine regarding potential threats.

Several EU officials expressed support for Poland and blamed Russia for the incident. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen referenced the episode during her “state of the union” address at the European Parliament, calling for continued military support for Ukraine.

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