In a dramatic escalation of military tensions on NATO’s eastern flank, the alliance has announced a sweeping new defensive initiative after more than a dozen Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace on September 10, 2025. The incident, which saw some drones shot down and others crashing into fields and even a house in eastern Poland, has been described by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk as "the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two," according to BBC reporting.
The new operation, dubbed Eastern Sentry, represents NATO’s most assertive posture in the region since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The alliance’s supreme commander in Europe, U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, revealed that the operation will bring together air and ground-based defenses from France, Denmark, Germany, and the United Kingdom to "plug gaps in the line" and ensure rapid concentration of forces wherever they’re needed. "The key to this is an entirely new defense design," Grynkewich told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels, as reported by the Associated Press.
France has pledged three Rafale fighter jets, Denmark is sending two F-16s and a warship, Germany will provide four Eurofighters, and the UK has expressed its full commitment to strengthening the operation, with more details forthcoming. The move comes as a direct response to the drone incursion, which Warsaw has characterized as a deliberate act of provocation by Russia. Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz called the operation "active deterrence and readiness to defend wherever needed," in a statement on X.
While Russia denied targeting Poland, claiming the drones could not have reached Polish territory, and Belarus—Moscow’s ally—suggested the drones went off course due to jamming, European leaders remain unconvinced. Polish Secretary of State Marcin Bosacki, speaking at an urgent United Nations Security Council session in New York, held up photos of the drone damage and declared, "We know—and I repeat—we know that it was not a mistake." He further warned that the region was "closer to conflict than at any time in recent years."
The United States and European allies rallied behind Poland at the Security Council meeting. Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea asserted, "The United States stands by our NATO allies in the face of these alarming airspace violations ... and rest assured, we will defend every inch of NATO territory." Shea also noted that since the peace summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska nearly a month ago, Moscow has intensified its bombing of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
For its part, the UK has not only reaffirmed its military commitment but also announced a new wave of sanctions targeting Russia’s oil revenues and war machine. The measures include bans on 70 vessels identified as part of Russia’s "shadow fleet"—used to transport oil in defiance of Western sanctions—as well as sanctions on 30 individuals and companies, including firms based in China and Turkey, accused of supplying Russia with military components. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, during her first visit to Kyiv since her appointment, emphasized, "The UK will not stand idly by as Putin continues his barbaric invasion of Ukraine," highlighting a tenfold increase in Russian drone attacks in July 2025 compared to the previous year.
Denmark, too, is deepening its involvement. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has pledged expanded cooperation with Ukraine’s defense industries, aiming to boost defense production within Ukraine and encourage Ukrainian companies to establish operations in Denmark. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was blunt: "We must not be naive. Putin will stop at nothing, and he is testing us. Therefore, it is crucial... Denmark is contributing to this."
The NATO response is not limited to Poland. The Netherlands and Czech Republic have declared intentions to send additional defenses, while Lithuania is set to receive a German brigade and improved early warning systems for Russian attacks that could cross into its airspace. Meanwhile, Russia and Belarus have begun joint military drills near the Polish and Lithuanian borders and in the Baltic and Barents seas—exercises that take place every four years. Both Moscow and Minsk have rejected suggestions that these drills pose any danger to neighboring countries.
Amid these developments, the Kremlin has signaled little appetite for renewed negotiations. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that talks to end the war are currently on "pause," blaming Ukraine’s European allies for hindering the process. "One cannot simply put on rose-tinted glasses and expect that the negotiation process will yield lightning-fast results," Peskov said, adding that Russia remains ready for "peaceful dialogue."
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has thus far resisted calls for harsher sanctions on Russia while pursuing a peace deal, issued a stern warning during an interview with Fox News: "It's amazing. When Putin wants to do it, [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky didn't. When Zelensky wanted to and Putin didn't. Now Zelensky wants to and Putin is a question mark. We're going to have to come down very, very strong."
The situation on the ground remains volatile. According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, Russian air defenses downed 221 Ukrainian drones over more than a dozen Russian regions on September 12, 2025, in one of the largest reported drone attacks to date. Ukrainian sources, speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said that Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s largest oil port in Primorsk on the Baltic Sea—an important hub for the "shadow fleet" that reportedly generates around $15 billion annually for Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has insisted that neither promises of renewed trade nor territorial concessions will end Russian aggression. "The Russian war machine will only stop when it runs out of fuel," Zelenskyy said at a recent conference. "And Putin will start to stop it himself when he feels, truly, that the resources for the war are running low."
As the dust settles from the latest drone incident, NATO’s Eastern Sentry operation stands as a powerful signal of unity and resolve on the alliance’s eastern front. Whether this show of strength will deter further Russian provocations—or risk drawing Europe even closer to open conflict—remains to be seen. For now, the world is watching, and the stakes could hardly be higher.
