U.S. President Donald Trump has cast doubt on the origins of 19 drones that reportedly entered Poland’s airspace in late September, suggesting they may have been “disabled” rather than intentionally deployed. The remarks came amid escalating tensions between Warsaw and Moscow over the incident, which Polish officials accused Russia of orchestrating as a provocation against NATO.
Trump told Fox News on Thursday that the drones “shouldn’t have been there,” while declining to confirm whether their presence was deliberate. He cited recent advancements in drone-disablement technology, stating, “They disabled drones today. The great attack on a drone is disabling it, and they fall all over the place.” His comments marked a shift from earlier statements where he acknowledged the incident could have been a mistake.
Poland’s leadership has firmly rejected any notion of error. Prime Minister Donald Tusk reiterated claims that Russia was behind the incursion, while Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski labeled skeptics as “accomplices of Russian propaganda.” Moscow, meanwhile, dismissed Warsaw’s narrative, arguing that drones used in Ukraine lack the range to reach Polish territory. Russian officials accused Kyiv of staging a false flag operation to provoke NATO intervention.
Moscow’s foreign ministry criticized Poland’s refusal to cooperate with investigations, calling it evidence of “no interest in the truth.” Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned the situation as part of an “information campaign” to vilify Russia and bolster support for Ukraine.
The incident underscores deepening divisions over accountability in the broader conflict, with neither side offering definitive answers.
