{"id":419659,"date":"2025-09-12T23:29:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T23:29:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/419659\/"},"modified":"2025-09-12T23:29:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T23:29:16","slug":"nato-announces-plan-to-strengthen-europes-eastern-flank-russia-ukraine-war-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/419659\/","title":{"rendered":"NATO announces plan to strengthen Europe\u2019s eastern flank | Russia-Ukraine war News"},"content":{"rendered":"

NATO has announced a new initiative to bolster the security of its Eastern Europe members in the wake of Russia\u2019s violation of Polish airspace.<\/p>\n

\u201cNATO is launching Eastern Sentry to bolster our posture even further along our eastern flank,\u201d Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Friday in Brussels during a joint news conference with NATO\u2019s top commander in Europe, US General Alexus Grynkewich.<\/p>\n

Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list<\/p>\n

\u201cThis military activity will commence in the coming days and will involve a range of assets from allies, including Denmark, France, United Kingdom, Germany,\u201d Rutte added.<\/p>\n

The announcement comes after multiple Russian drones crossed into Poland on Wednesday, prompting NATO to send fighter jets to shoot them down and underlining long-held concerns about Russia\u2019s three-year war in neighbouring Ukraine expanding.<\/p>\n

\n

Today we announce the launch of \u201cEastern Sentry\u201d to bolster our posture even further along our eastern flank.<\/p>\n

This military activity will involve a range of assets from Allies.<\/p>\n

Eastern Sentry will make clear that #NATO<\/a> is always ready to defend. pic.twitter.com\/fcdjdnHX5w<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Mark Rutte (@SecGenNATO) September 12, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

NATO is still assessing whether Russia intentionally violated Poland\u2019s airspace, Rutte said, but repeated that, either way, \u201cit is reckless. It is unacceptable\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough the immediacy of our focus is on Poland, this situation transcends the borders of one nation. What affects one ally affects us all,\u201d Grynkewich said.<\/p>\n

\u201cEastern Sentry will be flexible and agile, delivering even more focused deterrence and defence exactly when and where needed,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Russia said its forces had been attacking Ukraine at the time of the drone incursions and had not intended to hit any targets in Poland.<\/p>\n

More allies to join<\/p>\n

The new NATO mission, which begins on Friday evening, will involve a range of assets integrating air and ground bases.<\/p>\n

Allies, including Denmark, France, the UK and Germany, have so far committed to the mission with others set to join, Rutte said.<\/p>\n

Earlier on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron said he would deploy three Rafale fighters to Poland.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe security of the European continent is our top priority. We will not yield to Russia\u2019s growing intimidation,\u201d Macron posted on X.<\/p>\n

The United Nations Security Council met for an emergency session on Friday to discuss the incident at Poland\u2019s request.<\/p>\n

Poland\u2019s Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz thanked NATO for its \u201cdecisive action and decisions in response to Russia\u2019s aggressive policy\u201d.<\/p>\n

The new deployment was \u201cnot only a strategic decision\u201d but \u201can expression of responsibility for the security of the entire eastern flank of the alliance\u201d, he added.<\/p>\n

US, allies call out Russia<\/p>\n

Washington, together with its Western allies, expressed concern about Russia\u2019s drone incursion and accused Moscow of violating international law and the founding UN Charter.<\/p>\n

A joint statement on Friday, read by Poland\u2019s Secretary of State Marcin Bosacki before the UNSC meeting, also called on Russia to stop \u201cits war of aggression against Ukraine\u201d and desist from further provocations. The statement was backed by 43 countries.<\/p>\n

In addition, the US told the council it would \u201cdefend every inch of NATO territory\u201d after the suspected Russian drone incursion into Poland.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe United States stands by our NATO allies in the face of these alarming airspace violations,\u201d acting US ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea told the 15-member body.<\/p>\n

Shea also noted Russia had intensified its bombing campaign against Ukraine since President Donald Trump met with Russia\u2019s Vladimir Putin in Alaska as part of his bid to broker an end to Moscow\u2019s war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese actions, now with the addition of violating the airspace of a US ally \u2013 intentionally or otherwise \u2013 show immense disrespect for good-faith US efforts to bring an end to this conflict,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The remarks by Shea and the joint statement came one day after Trump said Russia\u2019s drone incursion could have been a mistake. In response, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted on X: \u201cWe would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn\u2019t. And we know it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Russia\u2019s UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council that \u201cthere were no targets marked on Polish territory\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe maximum range of the drones used in this strike did not exceed 700km, which makes it physically impossible for them to have reached Polish territory,\u201d he claimed.<\/p>\n

Poland\u2019s Bosacki, however, said the incursion was \u201cno mistake\u201d. He showed photos of a downed drone, pointing out Russian lettering on parts of it. \u201cPoland will not be intimidated.\u201d<\/p>\n