Russia’s decision to send drones deep into Polish territory has triggered a crisis for NATO which is potentially existential, a US-based analyst has warned. Yuriy Boycheko was speaking after Poland confirmed that more than 10 Russian drones had crossed into its airspace overnight, forcing the temporary closure of Warsaw’s main airport and prompting NATO fighter jets to scramble in support of Poland’s military.
Several of the drones were shot down, but officials described the incident as an “act of aggression” and the most serious violation of allied skies since the war in Ukraine began. Mr Boycheko, of Hope for Ukraine told Express.co.uk: “Disastrous foreign policy by President Trump over the past 8 months has caused Russian drones entering Polish airspace today freely paralysing most Polish commercial air traffic.
“Putin sees that the ‘king has no clothes’ and he is crossing red line after red line. Trump has not done anything over the past 8 months to stop this madness, instead he has been shielding Putin from any new sanctions.
“Now we can draw a comparison on how Biden handled war in Ukraine vs what Trump has done since taking office.
“Biden has supplied weapons to Ukraine, brought sanctions against Russia, isolated Putin on the world stage and unified western allies and all these actions by Biden’s administration kept a restraint on what Putin was able to do in Ukraine.
“On the contrary Trump has shielded Putin from any new sanctions, cut supplies of weapons to Ukraine to minimum, brought Putin out of diplomatic isolation with his meeting in Alaska and started confrontation with European allies.
Mr Boycheko continued: “Trump’s complete failure on the diplomatic front made US and NATO look weak so now Putin is flying his deadly drones into Poland because he knows there will be no consequences for his actions. Deadly attacks on Ukrainian civilians are a daily occurrence now.
“Trump talks every day that he is a law and order president but shook hands with Putin in Alaska, those hands are covered in Ukrainian blood and this double standard emboldened Putin now so he is challenging NATO states now by flying drones into Poland.
“If Putin won’t get any consequences for flying multiple drones on purpose into Poland then it’s safe to say that NATO is dead as a security alliance.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the incursions and said those that posed a direct threat were destroyed. Defence Minister Wladysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said more than 10 drones had entered Polish skies, calling it an “act of aggression.”
NATO officials reported that Dutch F-35s and German Patriot defence systems were deployed, marking the first time alliance aircraft directly engaged Russian drones over NATO territory.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said: “Russia’s war is escalating, not ending. Last night in Poland we saw the most serious European airspace violation by Russia since the war began, and indications suggest it was intentional, not accidental.”
Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda added: “Russia is deliberately expanding its aggression, posing an ever-growing threat to Europe.”
Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsahkna warned: “The overnight attacks on Ukraine and violations of Polish airspace were yet another stark reminder that Russia is not just a threat to Ukraine, but to all of Europe and NATO.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also condemned Moscow’s actions. He said: “This morning’s barbaric attack on Ukraine and the egregious and unprecedented violation of Polish and NATO airspace by Russian drones is deeply concerning.
“This was an extremely reckless move by Russia and only serves to remind us of President Putin’s blatant disregard for peace, and the constant bombardment innocent Ukrainians face every day.”
Defence Secretary John Healey echoed the warning, describing the escalation as “reckless, unprecedented and dangerous.” He said: “Last night Putin took this aggression to a new level of hostility.
“A violation of Polish airspace deep enough for Warsaw airport to be closed and NATO jets forced directly to shoot down Russia’s drones while, of course, the attacks on Ukraine continue to intensify.
“Russia’s actions are reckless, unprecedented and dangerous. We totally condemn these attacks, and we say to President Putin: your aggression only strengthens the unity between NATO nations.”
As Polish forces continue to search for debris and NATO ministers gather in London to discuss their next steps, the alliance is under mounting pressure to respond.
For Mr Boycheko, the test is now existential: either NATO proves its deterrence still holds, or Putin will conclude that its red lines no longer exist.