Russian drones over Poland ‘wake-up call for the West’, Harris says
By Bairbre Holmes and Cillian Sherlock, PA
Russia’s incursion into Polish airspace “has to be a wake-up call for the West”, the Tánaiste has said.
It comes Polish leaders said multiple Russian drones entered and were shot down over its territory overnight, in a move the EU foreign policy chief said seemed “intentional”.
Speaking before a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Tánaiste Simon Harris said EU efforts to sanction Russia would be much more effective with the involvement of the US President Donald Trump’s administration.
“We’ve heard President Trump talk many times about considering sanctions and thinking about sanctions. In our view, the time for thinking about them is over.”
Europe is in a fight.
A fight for our liberty and our ability to determine our destiny for ourselves.
This must be Europe’s Independence Moment.
A moment we can seize if we're united ↓ https://t.co/EcrY5Mi7kU— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) September 10, 2025
Mr Harris said Europe is preparing more sanctions against Moscow, but expressed concern at Russian president Vladimir Putin’s escalating “campaign of terror”, particularly after last month’s summit between the US and Russian leaders in Alaska.
“While the world talks about peace, talks about de-escalation, talks about finding an end to the Russian aggression in Ukraine, President Putin continues his campaign of terror against the civilian population in Ukraine, and last night, escalated that further by the launching of many drones into Poland.”
His comments came as EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said there was a need for urgent work on a “new solution to finance Ukraine’s war effort”.
In her State of the Union address, Ms von der Leyen described the development as a “reckless and unprecedented violation of Poland and Europe’s airspace”, adding that there was a need for “more sanctions” on Russia.
Last night in Poland, we saw the most serious European airspace violation by Russia since the war began, and indications suggest it was intentional, not accidental.
I am in contact with @SecGenNATO and @radeksikorski.
The EU stands in full solidarity with Poland. (1/2)— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) September 10, 2025
Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that Russia’s war is “escalating” rather than “ending”.
“Last night in Poland we saw the most serious European airspace violation by Russia since the war began, and indications suggest it was intentional, not accidental.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Europe is dealing with a “catastrophic situation in Ukraine”.
He said Russia had launched a “very significantly increased attack” on Ukraine at an “extraordinary scale”.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Martin said: “I will be updating Cabinet in terms of the four meetings I had over August in respect of the coalition of the willing, and in terms of Ukraine and the need to do everything we possibly can to continue to support Ukraine.”
