Paris: On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron declared the deployment of three Rafale fighter jets to Poland in response to recent incursions by Russian drones, emphasizing that this action is intended to bolster NATO's eastern flank and enhance European security.
In a message posted on X, Macron stated, "In light of the Russian drone incursions into Poland, I have made the decision to send three Rafale fighter jets to aid in the protection of Polish airspace and NATO's Eastern Flank alongside our Allies."
The French President mentioned that he communicated this decision directly to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Wednesday. He also engaged in discussions regarding this issue with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who Macron acknowledged is "also committed to the defense of the Eastern Flank."
Macron emphasized that safeguarding Europe from Russian actions is a fundamental aspect of both French and NATO strategy. "The security of the European continent is our highest priority," he remarked, adding, "We will not succumb to Russia's escalating intimidation."
This announcement from France followed Poland's military report of having downed Russian drones that had entered its airspace during attacks on Ukraine earlier this week. Subsequently, Warsaw invoked NATO's Article 4, seeking consultations among allies regarding the threat.
This action represents one of France's most significant military contributions to NATO air defense in Eastern Europe since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Radoslaw Sikorski, the Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, indicated that the magnitude of the incident suggested it was a deliberate act. He noted that the number of drones that penetrated Polish airspace indicated a calculated move by Russia, according to CNN.
Later, Poland's Minister of Interior reported that 16 drones had been identified throughout the nation, with debris found over a vast area, as stated by CNN.
In a speech to the Polish parliament, Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that although Poland was not officially at war, the current situation posed a greater risk than at any point since World War II.
"There was no justification to claim that Poland was in a state of war, but it is closer to a conflict than at any time since World War II," he remarked. The Prime Minister further stated that Poland was confronting an "enemy that does not conceal its hostile intentions." Tusk also revealed that Poland had activated Article 4 of the NATO treaty, which permits the alliance to gather and deliberate on threats to the security of its member states, as reported by CNN.
