By New York Post (World News) | Created at 2026-09-18 05:10:56 | Updated at 2026-09-18 17:22:38
12 hours ago
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued a chilling warning to NATO allies Thursday: Russian President Vladimir Putin is plotting a hybrid attack on European nations backing Ukraine — with Poland and other close neighbors directly in the crosshairs.
Tusk warned the impending attacks will be staged as “hybrid” or fake “accidents” designed to paralyze Western response and shatter NATO’s resolve.
“There is a real risk that drones or other types of projectiles will enter the territory of one or several countries on the eastern flank and even cause destruction,” he said in a speech to the Polish parliament.
“The official narrative will be that it’s an accident and there is no reason for NATO to think about a response,” he added.
Under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, an armed attack against one member state is considered an attack against all — the core principle meant to deter aggression against alliance members. The “accident” narrative is meant to circumvent that promise among NATO members.
Tusk raised the alarm over Russia’s deadly new tactics, pointing out their reliance on high-speed, jet-powered drones that fly higher and faster — making them nearly impossible for air defenses to intercept before impact.
He has been warning for months that Russia might be preparing a more serious hybrid attack against a NATO member state.
The Polish leader’s dire predictions have grown increasingly precise as high-level intelligence pours in from NATO, Kyiv and the CIA.
Moscow’s war machine is currently focused on strangling critical supply lines between Ukraine and its allies, unleashing strikes near the Polish and Moldovan borders.
Tusk emphasized that Russia has zero interest in peace talks without the “total capitulation of Ukraine.”
“They are convinced the winter will be tragically critical for Ukraine,” Tusk said.
While Poland has rushed to bolster Ukraine’s battered power grid, Tusk cautioned that crippling key border hubs would paralyze Warsaw’s ability to assist its neighbor through the winter.
“Russia’s goal is to destroy as much as possible the economy and logistics of Ukraine,” he said, revealing intel that points to an upcoming barrage of “very high frequency and intensity” across six key Ukrainian cities.
In defiance of Moscow, Tusk announced he would travel to Kyiv overnight into Friday — coming just days after European leaders narrowly dodged a Russian drone strike near the border.
Typically, high-level government officials keep their travel plans to Ukraine secret for security reasons.
In Kyiv, Tusk will convene with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on how to defend against Russia’s new drone hardware and discuss more sanctions against Russia with Slovakian officials.
President Trump appears keen to help out. On Thursday, he said on Truth Social that “major progress is being made toward establishing a US Army Base in Poland” after an American delegation visited the country last week to survey possible locations.
“If this happens, the location will be announced very soon,” Trump wrote.
“This will be a historic step for our Great US/Polish Alliance.”
Poland has sought to host a permanent American military base for guaranteed security against a potential Russian threat.
The Eastern European country is a top spender in NATO relative to the size of its economy, allocating a record 4.8% of its GDP to defense in 2026, according to National Defense Magazine.
Poland’s massive defense push and major US arms deals have directed the Trump administration toward authorizing a permanent American footprint in the country, even as the Pentagon scales back forces elsewhere in Europe.
In May, the US unexpectedly withdrew troops from the total of around 10,000 stationed in Poland, causing confusion among European allies and creating anxiety in Warsaw.
Officials in Poland and the US soon clarified that the withdrawal is temporary and poses no risk to Polish national security.
Russia bombarded Kyiv and other cities with missiles and drones overnight from Wednesday into Thursday, and neighboring NATO member Poland scrambled jets after a Russian daytime attack in western Ukraine, officials said on Thursday.
Over 20 people were injured in the overnight strikes, Ukrainian officials said.
The attacks follow the passage of a sweeping sanctions bill in the House of Representatives Wednesday that tightened economic pressure on Russia and fulfilled a last wish of Sen. Lindsey Graham, two months after his death.
The “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026” was named in honor of the South Carolina senator who died at age 71 following a trip to Ukraine where he championed the legislation.
It passed the Senate last month. President Trump is expected to sign the act into law.
The legislation targets Russia and Iran — hitting those that support the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine and curbing funding for Iranian energy and weapons programs.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Monday that Russian drone strikes on Sunday near the Ukraine-Poland border — one of which hit a train shortly after senior visiting officials had passed through the same station — would drive the military alliance to increase its support for Kyiv, labeling the bombardments as a sign of Moscow’s growing desperation.
The strikes “close to NATO territory” show Putin’s “desperation and also his desire to sow fear and terror,” Rutte said at NATO’s political headquarters in Brussels.
“Russia is growing increasingly reckless as it continues its terrible war against Ukraine,” he exclaimed.
“He thinks that he can stop us from supporting Ukraine and that he can undermine our unity. He is wrong,” the NATO chief said of Putin.
With Post wires
