German political leaders are considering a proposal to use NATO’s air defense systems stationed in Poland and Romania to protect the skies over Western Ukraine from Russian drone attacks.
This initiative, which aims to create a safe zone extending up to 70 kilometers into Ukrainian territory, would potentially relieve pressure on Ukraine’s own air defense resources, allowing them to focus on other critical areas along the front.
The proposal, backed by various members of Germany’s ruling parties including the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Greens, was highlighted in a recent FAZ newspaper report, as cited by DW. Notably, this plan follows a similar line of thought as expressed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has contemplated sending French troops to assist Kyiv but from positions outside Ukrainian territory.
Agnieszka Brugger from the Greens supports the positioning of air defense systems along the borders of Ukraine’s neighbors to also shield the western parts of Ukraine. Her party colleague, Anton Hofreiter, mentioned that defending Ukraine’s airspace from the territory of Poland and Romania should not be ruled out as a long-term measure, although he clarified that this is not currently under discussion. Instead, he emphasized the immediate need for the West to “significantly increase” its supply of arms and ammunition to Ukraine itself.
However, FDP’s Marcus Faber pointed out the current limitations in the number of air defense systems and missiles, highlighting the necessity to ensure their sufficient availability in the long term. He expressed support for the involvement of Western air defense systems to protect Ukrainian skies if these conditions are met.
Roderich Kiesewetter from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) advocated for using Western systems to shoot down Russian drones over Ukraine, arguing that this would alleviate the burden on Ukrainian air defenses and enhance their capacity to protect the frontlines. He cited a recent instance in April where US, French, and British forces helped Israel repel a major aerial attack by Iran, demonstrating that such assistance does not automatically involve the aiding countries in the war.
Related:
- Ukraine’s National Resistance Center: Russian teens to manufacture 10,000 Shahed drones annually
- Ukraine downs all 13 Russian explosive drones last night as Russian missiles kill at least one civilian
- Ukraine downs 15/16 Shahed drones overnight, as the Russian attack still injures 10 people
- Ukraine repels Russia’s Shahed suicide drone attack, as debris injures two police officers
