U.S. says it will defend ‘every inch’ of NATO territory after Poland shoots down Russian drones

The United States reaffirmed its commitment to NATO on Friday, vowing to defend “every inch of NATO territory” after several suspected Russian drones violated Polish airspace during a strike on Ukraine earlier this week.

The incident — the first confirmed airspace breach over Poland since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 — has sparked alarm across Europe, with leaders condemning it as a dangerous escalation by Moscow.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the situation as “the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II.” Russia, however, downplayed the event, claiming it had “no plans to target” Polish territory.

President Donald Trump, who recently attempted to broker peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, suggested on Thursday that the drone incursion may have been unintentional. But on Friday, acting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Dorothy Shea offered stronger reassurance to NATO allies.

Speaking at the U.N. Security Council, Shea called the violation — “intentional or otherwise” — a sign of “immense disrespect for good-faith U.S. efforts to end this conflict.” She emphasized, “The United States stands by our NATO allies in the face of these alarming airspace violations. Rest assured, we will defend every inch of NATO territory.”

Both the U.S. and Poland are members of NATO, a post-World War II alliance built on the principle of collective defense — that an attack on one is considered an attack on all.

In response to the incident, NATO launched “Operation Eastern Sentry” on Friday, aimed at reinforcing defenses along Europe’s eastern flank. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced the move at a press conference in Brussels, alongside U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s top military commander.

“This operation is about demonstrating our unity, our capability, and our resolve to defend NATO territory,” Rutte said. While the alliance is still analyzing whether the incursion was deliberate, Rutte called it “reckless and unacceptable.”

Gen. Grynkewich said military activity under Operation Eastern Sentry would begin in the coming days and involve contributions from several NATO members, including Denmark, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. However, NATO has not disclosed how many additional troops will take part in the deployment.

Even before the latest incident, NATO had already stationed thousands of troops and advanced military assets across Eastern Europe.

Meanwhile, Russia has ramped up its aerial bombardments of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure — a surge in aggression that has drawn criticism from European leaders. Many believe the escalation confirms that President Vladimir Putin remains uninterested in a negotiated end to the war, despite last month’s high-profile summit between him and Trump in Alaska.

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