He called the incident an “unacceptable, unfortunate, and dangerous development,” while warning it could escalate tensions between NATO and Moscow.
Speaking to reporters before departing on a trip to Israel and Britain, Rubio said: "No doubt about it: the drones were intentionally launched. The question is whether the drones were targeted to go into Poland specifically."
"If that's the case, if the evidence leads us there, then obviously it will be a highly escalatory move", Rubio added.
His remarks came as NATO announced plans to bolster the defense of Europe’s eastern flank, following what Polish officials described as the first known instance of a NATO member shooting down drones during Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Polish authorities said they had recovered debris from 17 Russian-made drones that crashed in the country’s east on Wednesday. The strikes caused no injuries or major damage but triggered alarm across Europe, with the EU and several capitals describing the incident as a test of NATO’s resolve.
The incursion also sparked rare public disagreement between Washington and Warsaw. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the drones may have entered Poland “by mistake.” But Polish leaders swiftly rejected that notion.
“We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski similarly urged Washington to show “clear solidarity” with its ally.
At the United Nations on Friday, the U.S. delegation described the airspace violations as “alarming” and vowed to “defend every inch of NATO territory.”
Russia, for its part, acknowledged striking Ukraine during the time of the incidents but denied deliberately targeting Poland.
The episode underscores both the risks of spillover from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the pressure on NATO to demonstrate unity as one of its frontline states finds itself directly exposed.
(mo)
Source: Reuters, AFP