The foreign ministers of Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania have issued a joint statement following the breach of Polish airspace by Russian drones during the night of 9–10 September, calling for tighter coordination and rapid reinforcement of regional air defences.
The statement, released under the Lublin Triangle format, said only coordinated action could ensure the safety of citizens in the three countries.
Kyiv said it was ready to share “all available intelligence and operational information” with Warsaw, Vilnius and other partners to build an effective early-warning system against missile and drone attacks. The ministers urged improved coordination and operational cooperation among the structures responsible for airspace security in the three states, with the aim of preventing the consequences of Russia’s actions and improving the effectiveness of existing air-defence measures. They also called for partners to urgently strengthen Ukraine’s air defences and support Poland and Lithuania in reinforcing the eastern flank of both NATO and the EU. The statement added an appeal for public vigilance against Russian disinformation.
The joint declaration followed one of the most serious cross-border incidents since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Polish authorities reported multiple drone incursions over several hours on 10 September. Prime Minister Donald Tusk told parliament that 19 violations were recorded over a seven-hour period; Polish officials said nine crash sites were located, some far from the border. NATO fighters scrambled in response; Dutch F-35s were among those that engaged drones over Polish territory. Polish officials said some drones entered from Belarus.
Brussels condemned the incident. In a statement on behalf of the EU, the High Representative described the intentional violation of an EU member state’s airspace as an aggressive act and part of a serious escalation, warning that it threatened the security of EU citizens, regional stability and international peace.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his call for a joint European air-defence “shield”, arguing that a coordinated system across the continent is necessary to deter and defeat repeated missile and drone salvos as well as spillover incidents into neighbouring states. He said Ukraine had previously set out proposals along these lines and urged rapid implementation in cooperation with NATO allies
Moscow dismissed allied reactions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there was “nothing new” in Poland’s statements, adding that the Defence Ministry had addressed the matter and that Russia remained open to consultations. He played down concerns about upcoming Russian-Belarusian exercises near Poland’s border, calling them routine. Russia’s Defence Ministry has said it did not target Poland, while Belarus stated that some drones lost course due to jamming.
Diplomatic and institutional steps are under way. The European Parliament scheduled an emergency debate on 11 September on the drone incursions and EU solidarity with Poland. Warsaw also requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
The Lublin Triangle—created by Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine in 2020 as a platform for political and security coordination—has been used repeatedly to signal common positions on regional security. The latest statement places emphasis on practical measures: real-time intelligence sharing; interoperable early-warning; and accelerated delivery of air-defence systems to Ukraine, alongside reinforcement of Polish and Lithuanian capabilities on NATO’s eastern flank. It also highlights a domestic dimension, urging citizens to remain alert to attempts at disinformation.
While NATO airspace has been violated on previous occasions since 2022, Polish and allied officials described the scale of 10 September’s incursions as unprecedented. NATO said its aircraft engaged potential threats in Allied airspace and reiterated the Alliance’s commitment to defend “every kilometre” of its territory. The Polish government characterised the incident as a deliberate provocation conducted in parallel with a wider Russian strike against targets in Ukraine.
For Kyiv, the episode strengthens the argument that Ukrainian air defence is integral to European security, given the proximity of Russian strike corridors to NATO borders and the risk of spillover. For Warsaw and Vilnius, it underlines the need for reinforced air-policing, layered ground-based systems and tighter cross-border procedures for identification and engagement. The joint statement stops short of outlining specific deployments but frames the required response as urgent and collective.
Further developments will turn on allied decisions in Brussels, New York and national capitals, including possible bolstering of NATO air-defence assets in Poland and Lithuania, and on deliveries to Ukraine. In the near term, the three foreign ministries have signalled their intention to move from statements to implementation through enhanced coordination mechanisms and shared situational awareness.
