NATO members may discuss intercepting Russian missiles over Ukraine at upcoming meeting, Polish foreign minister says

NATO members may discuss the possibility of intercepting Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory at their next ministerial meeting, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski told the TV network TVN24 on Tuesday.

“This is a matter of agreements and discussions among our allies. We have a new NATO secretary general. The next NATO ministerial meeting will take place next week. It’s possible this issue will be on the agenda,” Sikorski said.

In early September, Sikorski said it was the “constitutional duty” of countries bordering Ukraine to shoot down Russian missiles. “NATO membership does not negate each country’s responsibility to protect its airspace,” he said. In response, NATO warned of potential consequences to the alliance as a whole, adding that it “is not a party to the conflict and will not become one.”

In August, Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said that NATO countries are generally skeptical about the idea of downing Russian missiles over Ukraine and that he “had not seen” any supporters within the alliance for this idea.