Editor's note: The headline and the article were edited to specify that Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Poland will not down Russian missiles without NATO's decision.
Poland will not comply with Ukraine's request to shoot down Russian missiles heading for western Ukraine without a decision by the entire NATO, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on July 10.
Earlier this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Reuters that Western allies, including Poland, could intervene more directly in Ukraine's defense by shooting down Russian missiles.
In response, the Polish defense minister told the Polish Radio that Poland could not make any decisions on this matter on its own and that this decision must be made by all of NATO.
He also referred to the U.S. position of not wanting to escalate the conflict with Russia. Poland can only independently decide to shoot down missiles over Polish airspace.
Earlier this year, a Russian missile entered Polish airspace during a massive aerial attack launched against Ukraine. The missile remained in Polish air for 39 seconds.
According to the Polish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pawel Wronski, the Polish government has been discussing the legal ramifications of shooting down Russian missiles since this incident.
President Zelensky met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk this week to sign a security agreement to further develop political, military, and economic cooperation between the two countries and "cooperate closely in the reconstruction of Ukraine as a sovereign and democratic state."
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
