NATO Article 4 has been triggered for the first time during the Ukraine war after Russian drones entered Polish airspace. The incident, which unfolded overnight on Wednesday, involved 19 drones crossing into Polish territory. Poland’s military intercepted several of them, while debris from 16 was later recovered near border villages.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, speaking in Kyiv alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, confirmed that NATO acted following Poland’s request. Stubb described the move as a clear demonstration of allied unity. He added that Finland fully supports Poland in defending its skies and ensuring that such violations are not ignored.
The session comes just before Russia and Belarus begin their joint Zapad 2025 military drills. According to Stubb, the drone incursion was an intentional test of NATO’s readiness. He warned that Moscow is deliberately erasing the boundary between peace and war and that Europe must be prepared for sabotage, cyber attacks, and provocations.
Zelensky said the overnight strikes prove why Europe must urgently build a stronger, layered air defence system. In his words, “Patriot missiles alone are not enough.” He urged allies to provide coordinated support across the eastern flank.
The two leaders spoke at a joint press event after meeting privately for over an hour. They also laid a wreath at Kyiv’s Wall of Remembrance, honoring Ukrainian soldiers who have fallen since 2014.
Since joining NATO in 2023, Finland has taken a strong line in support of Ukraine and has criticized EU states still buying Russian energy. Stubb singled out Hungary and Slovakia, saying Europe must stop financing Moscow’s war machine. He underlined that the invasion of Ukraine has permanently altered Europe’s security map and admitted Finland would not have entered NATO without Russia’s aggression.
For his part, Zelensky repeated that Ukraine is open to a ceasefire but stressed that Russia has rejected all recent proposals. He dismissed speculation of direct talks with Vladimir Putin, once floated by former US President Donald Trump, as no longer realistic after the escalation. Trump had invited Putin to Alaska for a summit earlier this year, but the proposal went nowhere. His only public comment after the drone incident was a short post on social media: “Here we go!”
Discussions between Stubb and Zelensky also touched on Ukraine’s EU membership process, sanctions enforcement, and future security guarantees that could apply once a ceasefire is reached. Stubb stated clearly, “Ukraine will become European, not Russian.”
Meanwhile, in Minsk, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko received Trump envoy John Coale. Belarusian media reported that they spoke about political prisoners and economic ties. Coale carried a signed letter from Trump, which he described as personally marked with “just Donald” — something he called a sign of unusual trust.
Elsewhere, the European Parliament held an emergency session in Brussels to review the airspace breach. Sweden pledged to send additional air defence systems to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine condemned Russia’s drone operations and said Belarus’s cooperation with Moscow deepened the threat.
Ukraine’s Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that Britain will supply 1,000 interceptor drones to counter Russia’s Shahed units. “These are proven weapons,” Shmyhal wrote on X.
The Kremlin denied violating Polish territory, claiming its drones were aimed only at military facilities inside Ukraine. Moscow’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment further on Warsaw’s reports and confirmed that no Putin-Trump call is planned.
Ukraine’s top general Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russia is now copying Ukraine’s drone tactics, turning the war into a technological race. Zelensky echoed that assessment, stressing again that Ukraine is ready to share its experience with partners to reinforce collective air defence.
Closing his visit, President Stubb pledged that Europe would keep supporting Ukraine militarily, economically, and politically, while working with Washington to impose stronger sanctions on Russia.
