His announcement followed a statement earlier in the day by President Karol Nawrocki, who said the possibility of triggering Article 4 had been discussed during a National Security Bureau meeting in Warsaw with government and military leaders.
Tusk told parliament there were 19 intrusions into Polish airspace overnight, many from Belarus, and that the Polish military shot down at least three drones.
"The fact that the drones which posed a security threat were shot down changes the political situation," Tusk said. "Therefore, allied consultations took the form of a formal request to activate Article 4 of the NATO Treaty."
At an emergency Cabinet meeting earlier on Wednesday, Tusk said Poland must be ready for "various scenarios" but urged calm.
"The situation is serious," he said. "Today no one can have doubts that we must prepare for various scenarios. But there is no reason for panic."
The Operational Command of Poland's Armed Forces said multiple Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace during Moscow’s overnight attack on Ukraine.
Tusk praised the military’s response, saying procedures “worked flawlessly” and the decision-making process was “without fault.”
Poland, a NATO and EU member bordering Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, has previously reported missile and drone incursions since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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Source: IAR, PAP, TVP Info