Polish defence minister says Ukraine's air defence is Poland's security; Tusk visits Kyiv
Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz told the Sejm on 18 September that Poland's security depends directly on Ukraine's ability to intercept Russian drones and missiles. The same day, Prime Minister Donald Tusk was in Ukraine for the Carpathian Integration Initiative summit, where he said Russia could strike countries that support Ukraine and present the attacks as accidental.
Key points
- Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said in the Sejm on 18 September that if Ukraine lacks air defence means and ammunition to shoot down drones, more drones will reach Polish territory.
- Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that Russian missiles and drones are falling about one kilometre from the Polish border.
- He characterised incidents near NATO borders as no longer accidental but as planned aggression by Russia against NATO states.
- The minister criticised Polish opposition rhetoric on Ukraine as serving Russian interests, naming PiS MP Łukasz Mejza and Confederation MP Roman Fritz.
- Polish fighter jets were scrambled the day before the speech in response to a Russian attack on Ukraine.
- Prime Minister Donald Tusk was in Ukraine on 18 September for the Carpathian Integration Initiative summit.
- Before the summit, Tusk told journalists he came primarily to demonstrate that 'Ukraine is not alone.'
- Poland is reportedly preparing a new support package for Ukraine worth €50 million, including Patriot missiles.
- NATO, Ukrainian and Polish intelligence assessments indicate Russia is most likely to intensify attacks on Ukraine and its partners in the coming months.
Why it matters
A senior Polish official publicly framed support for Ukraine's air defence as a matter of Poland's own national security, making the case against domestic voices critical of that support. The Polish prime minister's same-day visit to Kyiv underscored continued Polish political engagement with Ukraine despite opposition criticism at home.
What happened
On 18 September, Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz told the Sejm that Poland's security is directly tied to Ukraine's ability to shoot down Russian drones and missiles, noting that Russian missiles and drones are already falling about one kilometre from the Polish border. He described incidents near NATO borders as no longer accidental but as planned Russian aggression against NATO states, and criticised opposition rhetoric on Ukraine — singling out PiS MP Łukasz Mejza and Confederation MP Roman Fritz — as serving Russian interests rather than Poland's. The remarks came a day after Polish fighter jets were scrambled in response to a Russian attack on Ukraine.
The same day, Prime Minister Donald Tusk was in Ukraine for the Carpathian Integration Initiative summit. Before the event, he told journalists he had come primarily to demonstrate that 'Ukraine is not alone.' Tusk also stated that Russia could strike countries supporting Ukraine with drones or missiles and present the attacks as accidental, and that NATO, Ukrainian and Polish intelligence assessments point to Russia intensifying attacks on Ukraine and its partners in the coming months. Poland is reportedly preparing a new €50 million support package for Ukraine that includes Patriot missiles.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language coverage from outlets including ZN.UA, NV, Suspilne and Interfax-Ukraine focused on how Polish officials publicly justify continued support for Ukraine and frame the Russian threat near the Polish border. The framing reflects sustained Ukrainian interest in Polish political backing and in messages linking Ukraine's air defence to Poland's own security.
Background
Russian missiles and drones have repeatedly come close to Polish territory during attacks on Ukraine, prompting NATO air policing scrambles. Poland's political landscape includes opposition parties — PiS and Confederation — that have publicly criticised Polish support for Ukraine, with figures such as Sławomir Mentzen raising concerns about the state of Polish defence, including artillery ammunition stocks, reserve training, civil defence and shelters.