NATO Crisis Meeting: Poland Stands Alone on Anti-Air Assistance to Ukraine.

On August 27, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his desire for Warsaw's help to shoot down missiles over western Ukraine, especially those heading towards Poland. In July, Zelensky mentioned that the security agreement with Poland included a provision to develop a mechanism for shooting down Russian missiles and drones directed at Poland in Ukrainian airspace. Zelensky also expressed his confusion about why NATO's Western allies have shot down Iranian missiles and drones heading towards Israel while being hesitant to do the same in Ukraine, fearing NATO's involvement in a war with Russia—a stance that Poland alone appears ready to accept and intervene on.
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A Polish Soldier assigned to the 21st Podhale Riflemen Brigade instructs a Ukrainian Soldier during react to ambush training, Sept. 8, at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center in Ukraine.(Picture source: US Army)

Polish officials have stated that the decision to allow the shooting down of Russian combat drones and missiles in Ukrainian airspace using Polish air defense systems was met with skepticism by NATO countries. Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, in a comment to the Polish news agency PAP, declared that he sees no support within NATO for intervention in Ukrainian skies. Kosiniak-Kamysz's statement was a response to Zelensky's remarks about negotiations with Warsaw on the possibility of shooting down missiles at least over the western part of Ukraine. However, as Zelensky pointed out, the Polish side does not want to be "left alone" with this decision. Kosiniak-Kamysz highlighted "great skepticism" on this issue among NATO countries and emphasized that "no country will make such decisions alone." Moreover, he added that it was not surprising that Zelensky underscored the importance of such a decision, as it is his role. However, he noted that the role of the Polish Ministry of Defense is to "make decisions in the interest of the Polish state."

It has also been confirmed by NATO's press service that, at Ukraine's urgent request, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will convene an emergency meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council, which will be held on August 28. Previously, this meeting at the end of August was not scheduled.

NATO spokesperson Farah Dahlallah specified that Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will update the allies via videoconference on the situation at the front and the urgent capacities and needs of Ukraine. It is presumed that Kyiv's urgent request for this meeting is related to recent developments in the Kursk region and Donbas, along with a series of strikes conducted by Russian forces behind enemy lines, and the repercussions of these strikes for Ukraine. It is also likely that Umerov will revisit the request for key NATO countries to permit the Ukrainian armed forces to launch long-range missiles deep into territory recognized by the 1991 treaties as Russian.