NATO IS CONSIDERING CLOSING THE SKY OVER UKRAINE: Russia responded fiercely, “that would mean war”!

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that Russia “lost the confrontation” it started with the drone attack on Poland on September 10. In an interview on the sidelines of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference in Kyiv, Sikorski expressed optimism about NATO’s response and further developments.

During the attack, Poland shot down only three or four of the 19 drones that entered its airspace, and one of them fell almost 400 kilometers west of the Ukrainian border. The incident forced NATO allies to scramble fighter jets worth millions of dollars to counter drones whose value is measured in thousands of dollars.

After the attack, Poland requested consultations under Article 4 of the NATO treaty, which allows members to discuss when they feel their security is threatened, but this step did not lead to the activation of Article 5, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all members. On September 12, NATO announced a new deterrence operation called “Eastern Sentry,” but Sikorski emphasized that Russia did not suffer a more serious retaliation because there were no human casualties and the damage was minor.

Sikorski warned that a potential attack on key military infrastructure, such as the Rzeszów airport, could activate Article 5 and escalate NATO’s military response. “What Russia is dangerously approaching,” he said. “Our first duty is to protect that logistical hub from Russian sabotage, espionage, and kinetic attacks.”

Strengthening cooperation with Ukraine

The Polish minister assessed that the Russian attack was an attempt to test NATO’s defense and determination on the eastern flank. Poland responded effectively, but preparations for future incidents must be strengthened. Ukraine has offered to help strengthen electronic warfare and drone interception capabilities, while experts from both countries have begun joint exercises using anti-drone systems on Polish territory.

Sikorski pointed out that the Russian attack accelerated Polish-Ukrainian cooperation in arms production and joint defense. “Putin may have accelerated our cooperation because Ukraine has the most recent and relevant experience in this area,” he said.

Closing the sky over Ukraine: the option is back on the table

Sikorski confirmed that NATO could consider closing a part of Ukrainian airspace, using air defense systems stationed in Alliance members such as Poland, Slovakia or Romania. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibyha also supported this option, and Sikorski added that incidents like the drone attack could accelerate the realization of that idea.

Closing the sky would mean deploying NATO aircraft and air defense to prevent the entry of enemy aircraft, missiles, or drones. Any aircraft that would still enter would be shot down. This measure would practically mean de facto NATO’s entry into the conflict with Russia, as the allies would have to shoot down Russian planes and missiles, which carries a huge risk of a wider war.

Reactions and sanctions

Sikorski praised NATO’s unity and the allies’ readiness to respond to aggression. On the other hand, US President Donald Trump told Fox News that he “will not defend anyone” and that he would sanction Russia only if all NATO members unite, stop buying Russian oil and impose tariffs on China. Sikorski supported the cessation of Russian energy imports, but was cautious about the issue of tariffs on China.

Poland is still working on strengthening its defense capabilities and participates in the exchange of experience and technology with Ukraine, while NATO monitors the situation and assesses the risks. The option of closing the sky over Ukraine, although extremely risky, is now back in political exchange due to frequent incidents with Russian drones and attacks on Alliance members.

Russia’s first reaction

Following the statements of Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski that NATO is considering closing the sky over western Ukraine due to frequent Russian drone attacks, the first sharp reaction came from Russia.

The Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, warned that establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine and authorizing NATO countries to shoot down Russian drones would mean a direct conflict between NATO and Russia. “Seriously, implementing the provocative idea of Kyiv and other idiots to create a ‘no-fly zone over Ukraine’ and allowing NATO countries to shoot down our drones means only one thing: war between NATO and Russia,” Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel, commenting on Sikorski’s statement.

Medvedev also noted that the “powerful European initiative ‘Eastern Sentry'” amused him more than it frightened him. “It seems that’s all that’s left of the ‘coalition of the willing’,” he pointed out.

He also commented on the visit of Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur to Kyiv, adding: “The smaller the country, the more its leaders are prone to aggression and stupidity.”

This statement represents the first open response from Moscow to NATO’s announcements about the potential closure of a part of Ukrainian airspace and further inflames tensions in the region, pointing to the possibility of a direct confrontation with Alliance allies.