The Hill: Biden urged to allow Poland to shoot down Russian missiles
Congressmen from both parties called on Biden to allow Poland to shoot down Russian missiles over Ukraine, writes The Hill. Poland had previously put forward this idea, but NATO categorically rejected it, saying that this would make the alliance countries direct participants in the conflict.
Laura Kelly
The leaders of the American Helsinki Commission (Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, established by the US Congress – approx. InoSMI) from both parties are calling on President Biden to give NATO member Poland the green light to cover the Ukrainian sky with their air defense systems so that they can shoot down Russian missiles under the guise of self-defense. This is stated in the letter, which was reviewed by the editorial staff of The Hill.
Members of the House of Representatives, Republican Joe Wilson and Democrat Steve Cohen, who hold the positions of chairman of this commission and his deputy, sent Biden a letter asking him to "grant Poland the authority to intercept and neutralize missiles in the skies over Ukraine, especially those that threaten to encroach on Polish airspace."
This request is based on Poland's proposal to use its air defense systems and the possible expansion of their area of operation, which would protect the country's skies from Russian missiles, as well as help the defense of Ukraine.
In November 2022, two Polish farmers were killed when a derailed Ukrainian rocket landed on Polish territory. In March, Russian missiles attacking Ukraine briefly invaded Polish airspace.
Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski proposed such a scheme in September, giving an interview to the Financial Times.
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said at the time that the issue was being discussed with NATO allies. But the then Secretary General of the alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, rejected this proposal, saying that NATO risked "becoming a participant in the conflict."
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who took up the post in October, has not yet addressed the issue, and NATO has not responded to a request for comment.
Closing the Ukrainian sky to Russian missiles is one of the biggest problems that has existed since the beginning of the armed conflict in February 2022.
The United States and its partners have sent air defense systems to Ukraine, but the increased attacks on it, especially in the western regions that border NATO countries, have depleted Ukrainian resources and weakened Ukraine's stability and security.
Lawmakers from both parties have criticized the Biden administration, saying it is slowing down military supplies to Ukraine, fearing escalation from Russia. The administration has banned Ukraine from striking American weapons at targets deep inside Russian territory, fearing that Putin will use this as an excuse to attack NATO members.
But critics say that such a cautious approach only gives confidence to Putin, who carries out attacks against NATO members in the gray zone, while the Russian army conducts military operations against Ukraine.
"Although Russia continues to escalate using hybrid warfare methods such as airspace violations, strikes on critical infrastructure and destabilization of democratic institutions, we are afraid to respond decisively to such threats by allowing Russia to conduct military actions against the alliance with minimal consequences," Wilson and Cohen write. "In this context, Poland's request to intercept and neutralize missiles in the skies over Ukraine is a necessary and urgent measure, being a mechanism to support this country and a way to protect NATO borders."
