Poland's request to intercept and neutralize missiles over Ukraine is both necessary and urgent as a support mechanism for Ukraine and to secure NATO's front lines, said the chairmen of the Helsinki Commission operating under the US Congress. They called on President Joe Biden to allow the downing of Russian missiles flying towards our country over Ukraine. Representatives of the Polish authorities claimed that they would do it only in consultation with NATO countries.
Chairman of the congressional branch USA The Helsinki Commission summoned the president on Wednesday Joe Bidento allow Poland to shoot down Russian missiles flying towards Poland over Ukraine.
“We urge your administration to grant Poland the authority to intercept and neutralize missiles over Ukraine, especially those that threaten to violate Polish airspace. Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski recently submitted a request on this matter and we believe that providing this capability is necessary a step in defending NATO territory and securing one of our most important allies,” wrote the chairman of the Helsinki Commission – Republican Congressman Joe Wilson and his deputy, Democrat Steve Cohen.
In this way, they referred to the request made by representatives of the Polish government to shoot down Russian missiles that threaten Polish airspace over Ukraine. The heads of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense talked about this idea for the first time during the July summit NATO in Washington, however, they emphasized that Poland would be willing to do this only in consultation with its allies. The White House was reluctant to accept this request. However, in a September interview with the Financial Times, Sikorski again raised the issue, claiming that Poland “has an obligation to shoot down incoming Russian missiles before they enter the airspace.”
Radosław Sikorski PAP/Marcin Obara
This view was supported by Wilson and Cohen in a letter to Biden. “The growing number of attacks in western Ukraine raises serious concerns about further casualties and escalation in the region. Foreign Minister Sikorski's request is of a defensive nature, consistent with NATO's mission to protect the territorial integrity of member states. Allowing Poland to intercept missiles over Ukraine would not constitute an offensive act , but rather a key step in ensuring the security of NATO's eastern flank. This action would strengthen NATO's deterrent posture while demonstrating our shared determination to defend the alliance against further Russian aggression,” the congressmen write. They criticized the US's “excessive restraint” in response to Russian provocations, which, in their opinion, only emboldened Russia to increasingly daring acts, including sabotage, “often with flagrant disregard of NATO borders.”
“Despite Russia's continued escalation – through hybrid warfare airspace violations, attacks on critical infrastructure, and efforts to destabilize democratic institutions – we have hesitated to confront these threats decisively, allowing Russia to wage war against the alliance with minimal consequences. In this context, Poland's request to intercept and neutralize missiles over Ukraine is both necessary and urgent as a support mechanism for Ukraine and securing the front line of NATO borders,” the politicians said.
Helsinki Commission – what is it?
The Helsinki Commission (formally the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe) is a congressional body composed of politicians from both chambers and the US administration, dealing with security issues, human rights and democracy in Europe and cooperation within OSCE.
Wilson is one of the oldest Republican congressmen and one of the candidates to take over the role of head of the Foreign Affairs Committee if the Republicans win the elections to the House of Representatives.
The White House has not yet responded to the Polish Press Agency's question regarding the letter.
Main photo source: PAP/Marcin Obara