Poland triggers NATO Article 4 as Rutte condemns Russia's "reckless" behaviour

10 September 2025

Poland invoked NATO’s Article 4 on Wednesday, after Russian drones violated its airspace overnight, prompting an emergency consultation of the alliance. NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte condemned Moscow’s actions as “reckless and dangerous."

Poland triggered Article 4 of the NATO treaty, formally asking for consultations on what it considers a threat to its territorial integrity and security. The rarely used mechanism has only been invoked seven times in the alliance’s 76-year history, most recently in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

It is not yet clear if Russia's violation of Polish airspace was intentional, Rutte said on Wednesday after a meeting of the 32 NATO member states. “What is clear is that the violation last night is not an isolated incident." In a message to Putin, he said that the alliance "will defend every inch of NATO territory".

Defence minister denounces Russia's breach of NATO airspace

Belgian Defence minister Theo Francken has called Russia’s violation of NATO airspace "unacceptable". Several Russian drones entered Polish...

belganewsagency.eu

19 airspace violations

In a speech on Wednesday, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said Warsaw had registered 19 airspace violations, most of them drones entering from Belarus. At least three were shot down by Polish F-16s, supported by Dutch F-35s, German Patriot systems and other NATO aircraft.

Drone fragments were later found in several regions of Poland, including the village of Wyryki near the Belarusian border, where a house and car were damaged. No casualties have been reported.

“There is no reason to claim that we are in a state of war... but the situation is significantly more dangerous than all previous ones," Tusk said. He warned that Poland is “closer to open conflict than at any time since the second world war."

"Poland is closer to open conflict than at any time since the second world war."

In a reaction, Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever urged for more support for Ukraine. "Russia does not want peace. Seven drones is not a coincidence, that is a provocation against a NATO country." Foreign minister Maxime Prévot wrote on X that the incident "is yet another reminder that Russia poses a threat to all of Europe, and to NATO."

In a reaction, Russia says it did not plan to attack any targets in Poland. "No objects on Polish territory were planned to be targeted. "Nonetheless, we are ready to hold consultations with the Polish defence ministry on the subject."