France will deploy fighter jets to Poland, and Britain rolled out fresh sanctions on Russia's oil and war industries Friday, as European allies responded to Russian drone incursions into NATO territory that threatened to escalate Moscow's war on Ukraine, Breitbart reported.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that three Rafale fighter jets will be sent to Poland to reinforce NATO's eastern flank and protect allied airspace after multiple Russian drones crossed into Polish territory on Wednesday. The aircraft will patrol alongside other NATO planes, with additional munitions and ground personnel also being deployed, France's Defense Ministry said.
"The security of the European continent is our highest priority. We will not yield to the growing intimidation from Russia," Macron wrote on X. He said the move was coordinated with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Russia denied deliberately targeting Poland, while Belarus claimed the drones had strayed due to jamming. But European leaders called the incident a calculated provocation by Moscow. Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland dismissed suggestions by U.S. President Donald Trump that the strike may have been accidental.
"We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake," Tusk posted on X. "But it wasn't. And we know it."
In a parallel response, Britain unveiled new sanctions aimed at cutting off Russia's oil revenues and war machine. The measures include bans on 70 vessels identified as part of Russia's "shadow fleet" used to evade sanctions and transport oil, as well as penalties on 30 individuals and companies, including Chinese and Turkish firms accused of supplying Moscow with military components.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, making her first visit to Kyiv since taking office, said her trip underscored U.K. solidarity with Ukraine, which has endured a surge in Russian drone strikes.
"The U.K. will not stand idly by as Putin continues his barbaric invasion of Ukraine," Cooper said.
Denmark also pledged closer cooperation in the defense industry with Ukraine.
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said after talks with Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha that Denmark aims to boost weapons production inside Ukraine and encourage Ukrainian firms to expand operations in Denmark.
Amid the flurry of diplomacy, Poland Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski traveled to Kyiv to discuss "shared security, Ukraine's EU and NATO accession, and pressure on Moscow," according to Sybiha. Poland's Defense Ministry said it would also work with Ukraine to train personnel in anti-drone warfare.
The developments came as Russia and Belarus launched joint military exercises intended to highlight their defense ties. Meanwhile, Moscow reported shooting down 221 Ukrainian drones across more than a dozen regions on Friday, including strikes on Primorsk, Russia's largest Baltic oil port and a hub for sanction-busting tankers that earn the Kremlin billions annually.
With tensions rising, Poland requested a U.N. Security Council meeting on Friday to address the drone incursion. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said peace talks remain on "pause," even as communication channels with Kyiv stay open.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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