The attack on Poland is a Nato Article 5 situation. The Alliance must respond

 Polish and other Nato fighter jets have been scrambled overnight to shoot down Russian drones and missiles over Polish territory. Some commentators are suggesting these are wayward drones meant for targets in western Ukraine. These types of weapons may stray off course or go rogue: but not in these numbers and distances. This looks very much as though President Putin is testing Nato unity.

What has been clear since the Alaska Summit, where Putin was welcomed back onto the world stage by Donald Trump, is that Russia has no interest in peace. Recent massive attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, including government buildings in Kyiv, is a clear indication of this stance. The realities must be obvious even to those politicians in the UK and Europe whose heads are most firmly stuck in the sand. Putin has been further boosted by his showboating last week with the Chinese premier.

I am at the DSEI defence expo in London today, where NATO and others are gathered to look at the latest western weaponry being developed – using the lessons of Ukraine – to keep the Western world technically superior to the aggressors from the East. It is clear to me that we are well ahead: the US and Israeli attacks on the Iranian nuclear programme a few months ago demonstrated western air superiority over Russian kit. Bearing this in mind, Western leaders can and must react to Putin’s provocation: last night’s attacks are by definition an Article 5 situation, in which Nato nations should respond to the attack on Poland as to an attack on all Alliance members. To be meaningful that response should probably be forward of Nato airspace.

I have been calling for some years now for NATO countries to set up No Fly Zones over Ukrainian cities and civilian targets. This is well within the gift of European countries, even without US airpower – though we still need American intelligence, which President Trump has said will always be available. The UK and France have shown we can do this type of action, when – with the US and others – we shot down Iranian drones and missiles headed for Israel.

Western leaders, especially those in Europe, cannot continue to turn a blind eye to Russian aggression. They – we – must realise this only encourages Putin. His goal is to restore the Soviet Union: and that includes Poland. If Nato does not respond to this attack, Putin will know that Article 5 is hollow and he can pick off the Alliance nations one by one. We might feel safe in our islands, but our turn would be sure to come. It is better to deter Russia now with action above Ukraine than to stand by like dishonourable cowards and watch our friends and allies fall.

I should point out that Russia has made an attack on actual Nato territory: I am not advocating a Nato attack on Russia, but action in Ukrainian airspace. So far from being escalatory, this would actually be less aggressive than what Putin has done – it would in fact be de-escalatory.

We have seen how mercilessly Putin exploits weakness, now is the time to show strength as this is the only language the Russian dictator understands.