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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Friday that the alliance will strengthen defenses along its eastern flank after Russian drones entered Polish airspace earlier this week.
The operation, named "Eastern Sentry," will include military support from Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, with deployments ranging from conventional assets to specialized systems designed to counter drone threats.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautioned on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin still intends to seize the entire country, after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said peace talks with Ukraine are currently "on pause."
Tensions escalated in Europe this week after Poland reported that 19 Russian drones entered its airspace, with three shot down by Polish and NATO fighter jets. Warsaw rejected suggestions that the drones may have crossed accidentally, describing the incident as a deliberate provocation.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the country is closer to "open conflict" than at any time since World War II. Russia denied the drones were its own and accused Poland of failing to present evidence.
In response to the incident, NATO announced it would strengthen its eastern defenses. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said reinforcements from Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany will be deployed in the coming days. The support will include both conventional military capabilities and systems designed to counter drones.
U.S. General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s top commander in Europe, emphasized that the alliance’s actions are not limited to Poland, but intended to reinforce deterrence across the eastern flank. "What affects one ally affects us all," he said.
Speaking at a conference in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Western nations not to place trust in Moscow’s statements, stressing that Putin’s wider objectives have remained unchanged since the beginning of the war.
"Putin’s goal is to occupy all of Ukraine. And no matter what he tells anyone, it is clear that he has set the war machine in motion to such an extent that he simply cannot stop it unless he is forced to fundamentally change his personal goals," he said.
The Ukrainian leader emphasized that his country would not agree to territorial concessions and called for sustained international backing. He urged allies to step up diplomatic pressure on Russia and specifically appealed for China to use its influence over Moscow to help halt the offensive.
Zelensky argued that coordinated global action was essential to deter further escalation and prevent Russia from consolidating gains on the battlefield.
Earlier the same day, Peskov told reporters that negotiators remain in contact but said the process has effectively halted, adding, "You can’t wear rose-tinted glasses and expect the negotiation process to yield immediate results."
The new measures come as Russia and its ally Belarus launched large-scale military exercises near the borders of Poland and Lithuania, involving armored vehicles, helicopters, and naval ships in the Baltics and the Barents Sea.
Poland said it would station about 40,000 troops near Belarus during the drills, while Lithuania and Latvia imposed partial airspace closures.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth year, has left tens of thousands dead, forced millions from their homes, and devastated much of the country’s east and south. Despite diplomatic efforts, both Moscow and Kyiv remain firm on their positions, with no breakthrough in sight.
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