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US Lawmakers Urge Biden to Permit NATO Country to Shoot Down Missiles Over Ukraine

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Patriot launcher of the Polish Armed Forces
Patriot launcher of the Polish Armed Forces

Representatives from both parties in the House ask U.S. President Joe Biden to allow Poland to extend its air defense umbrella over Ukraine

On October 28, 2024, members of the U.S. Congress sent an official letter to President Joe Biden regarding the security of Polish airspace.

Reps. Joe Wilson and Democrat Steve Cohen strongly urge the Biden administration to grant Poland the authority to intercept and neutralize missiles over Ukraine if they are directed near Polish airspace. This information comes from the original letter, provided to The Hill.

Read more: ​Ukrainian An-178 Spotted in Poland for the First Time Since Full-Scale War Began

The reason for the strong appeal is a request from Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski to the U.S. government, asking for permission to protect Polish airspace. Party representatives consider it necessary to grant this permission to protect NATO territory and refer to Poland as one of the most important allies.

Defense Express
US Air Force F-35s, stationed at the Łask Air Base in Poland, conduct training with the Polish Air Force F-16s over the Baltic Sea

Officials interpret the minister's request as aligned with NATO's mission, and President Biden should allow member countries to protect their territorial integrity: "Intercepting missiles over Ukraine would not be an offensive act, but rather a decisive step in securing NATO's eastern flank."

Joe Wilson and Steve Cohen also comment on U.S. foreign policy, which they consider overly restrained. They believe NATO countries' cautious approach only emboldens russia to disregard alliance members' borders, emphasizing that "neutralizing missiles over Ukraine is a necessary and urgent mechanism to support Ukraine itself."

Read more: NATO is 49 Brigades Short of Minimum Requirements: Half the U.S. Army or 4x Times the Bundeswehr