The tensions mount in Eastern Europe, the Polish air force has been called into action to protect the nation’s skies from the threat of Russian missiles targeting neighboring Ukraine.
Airforce patrols were conducted in southeast Poland, which borders war-torn Ukraine. A defense operation that, according to Poland’s Operational Command, ended following the cessation of Russia’s long-range missile strikes. The Command stated, “The operation of military aviation in Polish airspace has been ended and the deployed forces and resources have returned to standard operational activities.” Nonetheless, the army remains vigilant, constantly monitoring the situation and ready to ensure the safety of Polish airspace.
Separately, Poland’s foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski warned that Russia wanted to destabilise Europe. He claimed Moscow was trying to influence the outcome of upcoming European parliamentary elections in June. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has sent security concerns skyrocketing in the region.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has indicated she will support the Polish and Greek prime ministers’ call for a “European air defence shield” if she secures a second term at the helm of the EU executive. Speaking during the European Broadcasting Union’s election debate, von der Leyen endorsed “an air defence shield for all of Europe, like it was proposed by Mitsotakis and Tusk.” It comes after Poland’s Donald Tusk and Greece’s Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressed a letter to von der Leyen calling for an EU-wide air shield that would provide the bloc’s airspace with protection from “incoming threats including aircraft, missiles, drones and others.”
The leaders warn that the European Union needs a “bold initiative” to show its “friends and foes” that it is “taking its air defence seriously.” “Europe will be safe as long as the skies over it are safe,” the prime ministers’ letter reads. She added that a highly capable air defense system would serve as a credible deterrent against potential aggressors and protect European citizens and military forces should deterrence fail.
With countries like Germany, Spain, and Greece facing pressure to contribute their own advanced air defense systems, such as the Patriot missile system, to Ukraine. The hesitancy to do so stems from a justified fear of weakening their own national defenses. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has indicated that the alliance has mapped out existing capabilities.
Relevant articles:
– Poland scrambles jets to guard against Russian attacks on Ukraine , Euronews, 05/26/2024
– Von der Leyen endorses Polish and Greek push for European ‘air defence shield’, Euronews, 05/24/2024
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