German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung reports that Russian drones repeatedly violated Polish airspace last week, with some shot down, as tensions between NATO and Russia escalate.
Russian Provocations Trigger Power Struggles
Nicolas Richter, a columnist for Sueddeutsche Zeitung, argues that Moscow’s hybrid warfare against NATO countries, including sabotage, espionage, and disinformation, “remains below the threshold of an open armed conflict but demonstrates that Moscow views Europeans as opponents, even enemies.”
New Phase of Confrontation
Richter believes the confrontation between the West and Russia is entering a new, more dangerous phase as Russian President Vladimir Putin seems increasingly unwilling to respect Western warnings. “U.S. President Donald Trump has relativized former President Joe Biden’s commitment to defend every inch of NATO territory,” Richter writes.
Reactions to Provocations
“The Polish government acted correctly in destroying the Russian drones in NATO airspace for the first time,” Richter comments. “It is also correct that Warsaw is seeking an agreement with allies. NATO will have to acknowledge that it is poorly prepared for the kind of war Putin is waging.”