As Russia’s military action in Ukraine encroaches on European airspace, Poland’s foreign minister has raised the prospect of Nato support in patrolling the skies.
On 10 September, Russian drones over Polish airspace prompted Radoslaw Sikorski to invoke Article 4 of Nato’s North Atlantic Treaty, calling for an urgent meeting of member states to discuss what he called Vladimir Putin’s “large-scale provocation”.
Tensions were heightened a few days later when Romania reported similar drone incursions into its airspace, forcing the military to scramble its own fighter jets in response.
Unease spread among European countries as the incursions occurred at the same time as high-profile military drills were played out between Belarus and Russia.
Speaking to a German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine, Sikorski talked about extending missions into Ukraine: “We as Nato and the EU could be capable of doing this, but it is not a decision that Poland can make alone; it can only be made with its allies.
“Protection for our population – for example, from falling debris – would naturally be greater if we could combat drones and other flying objects beyond our national territory.
“If Ukraine were to ask us to shoot them down over its territory, that would be advantageous for us. If you ask me personally, we should consider it.”
Zelensky backed Sikorski’s calls as he said: “Now is the time to implement the joint protection of our European skies with a multilayered air defense system. All the technologies for this are available. We need investments and desire, we need strong actions and decisions from all our partners.”
Nato’s former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander and former British Army general Sir Richard Shirreff told The Independent that Nato had “failed” in its duty to protect member states.
“Last week Russia attacked a Nato country,” said Sir Richard, who is now chair of the Healix Risk and Security Advisory Board. “The whole purpose of Nato is to defend the airspace, land borders and the sea lines of communication. It ultimately does that through effective deterrence. Last week, that failed.”
He believes that the incursion was a “deliberate attack to probe Nato defenses”, adding that if Russia “smells weakness” it will persist in its aggression: “Nato has to respond with real strength.”
He said imposing a no-fly zone is “absolutely” the correct route to take.
In response to concerns of a wider war, he said: “This is an act of war against Russia, but it is in response to an act of war by Russia in a Nato member state. So it is entirely justifiable. In a very real sense, we are already at war with Russia.”
But what is a no fly zone and what does that mean in reality?
