Poland rightly threatens Russia to shoot down aircraft. NATO is too ambiguous

Poland rightly threatens Russia to shoot down its aircraft in the event of a violation of airspace, but it is risky that the position of the North Atlantic Alliance remains so ambiguous – writes the German daily “Sueddeutsche Zeitung” in the commentary.

“Sz” reminds that there is a concept of “strategic ambiguity” in the security policy. It is about “Through unclear statements about your own “red lines” leave an hostile state in ambiguity “. So that no one would think about testing borders by attacks or provocations. ” As part of this concept, “unpredictability is to be deterrent,” says the daily.

This approach in the “SZ” assessment should no longer be applied to Moscow, because “NATO and Russia have reached a point where this unambiguity is better than ambiguity“.” Better because it is safer ” – he adds.

“SZ” notes that the Kremlin “quite openly tests the military possibilities and the political will of the alliance.” Because “otherwise it is impossible to explain the last violations of NATO airspace by drones and fighters.”

The daily claims that “every keying around the topic by NATO encourages Moscow to subsequent provocations.” And “any provocation carries the risk of misunderstandings or incidents that may have potentially catastrophic effects.”

The brighter Russia is communicated, what will happen if it continues to send its aircraft over the eastern border of the alliance, the more predictable the situation for Moscow will become. In this way, the risk of unintentional escalation decreases, assuming that the Russian leader Vladimir Putin does not want war with NATO at the moment – we read in “SZ”.

The fact that Poland “quite clearly threatens to shoot down every Russian object flying over its territory can be considered an attempt to introduce this brightness,” writes “SZ” and adds: Thus, “let's hope for greater security.”

The entire speech of the Deputy Prime Minister @sikorskiradek During the Extraordinary Meeting of the UN Security Council regarding Russia's violation of the airspace of Estonia ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/w8cmuybiy5

– Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland (@MSZ_RP) Seppember 22, 2025

At the same time, the situation when NATO as “the whole organization speaks much less unambiguously”, he indicates – according to the newspaper – that many members of the Alliance “still believe in the effectiveness of ambiguity.”

To sum up “SZ” warns that since “fears of having to enforce their own” red lines “are so big in the alliance, Vladimir Putin can read it more as an invitation than a warning.”

MOBR/ AP/ MOW/