Russia needs only five drones to test NATO, Ukraine's former foreign minister has warned, accusing Vladimir Putin of preparing for a confrontation with Europe.
Dmytro Kuleba, who served as foreign minister from 2020 to 2024, said Russia is increasingly peddling anti-European propaganda and escalating pressure on the West. He suggested that Moscow could target NATO allies with drones and missiles to expose weaknesses in their security and test the organisation's unity.
Kuleba: Putin will drag Europe into war
Speaking to the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, Kuleba said: "Anti-European hysteria is being fueled in Russia, which I interpret as the preparation for a broader conflict with the rest of Europe. We [Ukrainians] don't have to drag you – Putin will drag you into the war. The truth is that Russia does not need 400,000 more people to wage that war. It needs five drones."
Kuleba said European governments could respond by calling for NATO consultations and urging restraint, which he believes would only encourage further Russian aggression. He expressed doubt that Putin will ever end the war in Ukraine through negotiations, as he doesn't want a settlement or temporary pause in fighting.
NATO member on alert after Russian strikes
The former foreign minister said: "He's not looking for a solution, for a pause, and there will be no moment when he will start looking for it. For him, a solution that benefits both sides is not the best option. For him, the world works on the principle of victory and defeat."
This comes as a NATO member was tested following a Russian attack on Ukraine near the alliance's eastern border. The Polish Ministry of Defence said "ground-based air defence systems and radar reconnaissance have reached a state of readiness" after "further strikes by the Russian Federation on targets in the western part of Ukraine".
The ministry also said that "these actions are preventive and aimed at securing and protecting Polish airspace, especially in areas adjacent to the threatened regions".
Polish airspace operations conclude
The Government Centre for Security (RCB) also said a Russian air attack is underway, and confirmed that "Polish aviation is operating in the airspace of the Republic of Poland". Alerts were sent in the Podkarpackie and Lubelskie provinces, with similar alerts issued overnight.
The Ministry of Defence said: "The operation of military aviation in Polish airspace has been completed, and ground-based air defence systems as well as radar reconnaissance systems have returned to standard operational activities."
