Trump scares that shooting down Russian missiles by NATO forces will lead to World War III — political analyst

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has stated that Poland and other countries bordering Ukraine have a «constitutional duty» to shoot down Russian missiles before they enter their airspace.

We discussed this proposal and its potential consequences on Hromadske Radio with political scientist Oleksandr Leonov.

According to Leonov, the decision to shoot down missiles depends on the individual countries. NATO representatives, in particular, have indicated that doing so would be an «escalation of the conflict.»

“In fact, this is a de-escalation because if missiles are shot down over Ukrainian territory, it a priori cannot lead to consequences where a Russian missile or drone strikes a critical infrastructure facility, an administrative building in Poland, or military facilities. Anything can happen, and then it would be a reason to activate NATO’s articles on joint defense», — the political scientist commented.

Leonov believes that for Poland, this decision should be a collective one, as it involves significant expenses. Additionally, it could protect Poland from further Russian actions. However, he noted, «in making this decision, the country should consider the opinion of the United States»:

“Unfortunately, there are reasonable arguments suggesting that Joe Biden is among those who oppose shooting down missiles over Ukrainian territory. The reason for this, right now, is that Donald Trump has made issues like providing assistance to Ukraine, striking Russian territory, and shooting down Russian missiles by NATO forces part of his election campaign. Trump fears this could lead to World War III. So, obviously, the United States does not want to take any risks or make any decisions.»

The expert noted that the situation might change if Kamala Harris becomes the new US president. In that case, the decision to shoot down missiles should be made through bilateral negotiations. However, not all NATO countries might support such decisions.

Therefore, according to Leonov, it would be worthwhile to involve influential international groups, such as the Lublin Triangle, which includes Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania, or the Weimar Triangle, consisting of Poland, France, and Germany. If these countries support the decision, it could be seen as a stance of the EU representatives.

“Donald Tusk has already proposed creating a common air defense system for the entire EU, which would be a good start to establishing such a system. Moreover, it is clear who this system should protect the EU countries from—it is Russia, which has the capability to strike European territory. At the same time, Poland would not face any risks or sanctions if it shoots down missiles over Ukraine.

I am convinced, and we need to ensure that this opinion prevails in European countries, that shooting down Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory is a way to prevent a possible escalation in NATO-Russia relations. This way, there will be no grounds for tension and conflict.»