The German government is planning to extend and expand its contribution to NATO’s air surveillance over Poland following a recent incursion into the Alliance’s airspace.
According to a statement released by government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius on Thursday, the move is a direct response to Wednesday’s incident where 19 Russian drones violated Polish airspace.
Currently, a rapid response unit stationed at the Luftwaffe airbase in Laage, engaged in air defense operations over Poland, was initially scheduled to conclude its deployment on September 30th. This deployment will now be extended until December 31st. Simultaneously, the number of aircraft within this unit will be doubled, bringing the total to four Eurofighter fighter jets, including their crews.
Beyond bolstering air defense capabilities, the German government also intends to intensify its support for Ukraine. It aims to expedite the adoption of a robust 19th sanctions package within the European Union.
