'Poland closest it's been to open conflict since World War Two,' says Tusk as Harris calls Russian incursion a 'wake up call for the West'

"I have no reason to claim we're on the brink of war, but a line has been crossed, and it's incomparably more dangerous than before,"

"This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two"

"The fact that these drones, which posed a security threat, were shot down changes the political situation. Therefore, allied consultations took the form of a formal request to activate Article 4 of the NATO Treaty,"

Poland shot down multiple Russian drones over its territory after reporting 19 overnight intrusions into its airspace. Three drone shootdowns were confirmed and a fourth was likely downed. The incursions escalated tensions and brought Poland closest to open conflict since World War Two; a line had been crossed and the situation became incomparably more dangerous. Poland, as a NATO member, requested consultations under Article 4, which obliges allies to consult when any member's territory, political independence, or security is threatened. The shootdowns were characterized as changing the political situation and led to a formal Article 4 request.

Read at Irish Independent