It was a week that rattled the nerves of Europe and exposed deep questions about the future of the NATO alliance. On September 10, 2025, nearly 20 Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace during a wave of attacks on Ukraine, prompting Poland and its NATO allies to scramble fighter jets and shoot them down. The incident marked the first time since the start of the Ukraine war that NATO forces fired on a Russian target violating allied airspace, according to Reuters.
As news of the drone incursion spread, the world watched closely to see how the United States—long the backbone of NATO—would respond. President Donald Trump, who has often pushed for a greater European role in security matters, initially offered only a cryptic post on his Truth Social platform: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!” The next day, pressed by reporters, Trump downplayed the incident, suggesting, “It could have been a mistake. Could have been a mistake.” (Nexstar Media; Reuters)
For many European diplomats, this muted reaction was a cause for unease. As Reuters reported, some alliance members privately expressed dismay at what they saw as a lack of urgency from Washington. “No one in NATO has been particularly reassured by the U.S. at this point. Washington’s silence has been almost deafening,” one Eastern European diplomat told Reuters. Another senior German official said, “With this U.S. administration, we can’t rely on anything. But we have to pretend that we could.”
Meanwhile, Poland activated Article 4 of NATO’s treaty, demanding consultations with its allies over what it called a direct threat to its security. Fighter jets from Poland, the Netherlands, and Italy had scrambled to intercept the drones, which, according to an unnamed NATO official quoted by Germany’s Die Welt, were heading toward a Polish NATO facility reportedly linked to arms shipments for Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk didn’t mince words, declaring, “This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two.” (Express; Reuters)
The Kremlin, for its part, denied any intention to strike Poland. Russia’s Defense Ministry stated, “The maximum range of the Russian drones that allegedly crossed into Poland does not exceed 700 km (435 miles),” and insisted that their forces had been targeting Ukraine, not Poland. Nonetheless, the incident set off alarm bells across the continent and within NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Adding to the tension, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on September 12 announced plans to bolster the alliance’s eastern flank. “We all stand together on this,” he said, expressing satisfaction with the unity of response, even as doubts lingered in European capitals about the depth of U.S. commitment. (Reuters)
The U.S. did not participate directly in shooting down the drones. Instead, Dutch forces, responsible for Polish airspace under NATO’s air policing mission, took the lead. According to U.S. officials, this was simply a matter of operational responsibility, but for some in Europe, the absence of American warplanes was a worrying signal.
Trump’s approach to the crisis reflected the “America First” policy that has defined much of his foreign policy. He has repeatedly urged European allies to shoulder more of the burden for their own defense and for supporting Ukraine. In a statement on his Truth Social platform on September 13, Trump threatened to impose “major sanctions” on Russia if all NATO countries stopped buying Russian oil. “I am ready to do major Sanctions on Russia when all NATO Nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all NATO Nations STOP BUYING OIL FROM RUSSIA. As you know, NATO'S commitment to WIN has been far less than 100%, and the purchase of Russian Oil, by some, has been shocking! It greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia. Anyway, I am ready to 'go' when you are. Just say when?” (Express)
Trump went further, proposing that NATO countries impose tariffs of 50% to 100% on China, to be withdrawn only after the war ends. “China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia, and these powerful Tariffs will break that grip,” he argued, urging the alliance to use economic pressure to bring the conflict to a close. He was blunt in his assessment of the war’s origins, saying, “This is not TRUMP'S WAR (it would never have started if I was President!), it is Biden's and Zelenskyy's WAR. I am only here to help stop it, and save thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives (7,118 lives lost last week, alone. CRAZY!).”
Yet, for all the tough talk, Trump remained noncommittal about signing additional sanctions packages on Russia that members of Congress have pushed for, suggesting instead that a “phase two” of sanctions could be coming soon. He did, however, impose sanctions on India over its imports of Russian oil. (Nexstar Media)
European leaders, meanwhile, were left grappling with the implications of the incident. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former NATO secretary general, told Reuters, “The drone attack showed that we are not ready for defense against drones. We have to develop capabilities as soon as possible.” He added that, while Europe must step up by deploying real assets and investing in Ukraine’s defense, “the United States must remain engaged.”
For many observers, the drone incursion was not just a military incident but a test of Western resolve. Ivo Daalder, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, observed, “This episode underscores that Trump, in contrast to every president since Roosevelt, does not see Europe’s security as fundamental to American security.”
Despite the tension, Trump did speak with Polish President Karol Nawrocki on September 11, reaffirming solidarity with Warsaw. However, Nawrocki’s public statement made no mention of any new U.S. military aid or equipment. The White House, for its part, joined Western allies in a joint statement expressing concern about the incursion and accusing Moscow of violating international law and the U.N. Charter.
For Europe, the events of the week were a wake-up call. As one senior German official put it, “We have to develop capabilities as soon as possible.” Some analysts and officials see this as a moment for Europe to take greater responsibility for its own security, even as they hope the U.S. remains a committed partner.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: the drone incident over Poland has not only exposed the vulnerabilities of NATO’s eastern flank but also the shifting dynamics of transatlantic security. The alliance’s unity will be tested in the months ahead, as Moscow’s intentions remain opaque and Washington’s commitment is questioned. For now, the world holds its breath, hoping that the next provocation doesn’t tip the balance from tension to open conflict.
