Members of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, an advisory body within Congress, have called on President Joe Biden to grant Poland the authority to intercept Russian missiles that might threaten Polish airspace while they are still over Ukraine. The commission emphasizes that this request is “necessary and urgent” both as a show of support for Ukraine and a safeguard for NATO’s eastern borders.
The appeal, signed by Representatives Joe Wilson (R) and Steve Cohen (D), aims to address Poland’s repeated requests for defense mechanisms that would allow it to neutralize missile threats originating from Russia. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski first presented this proposal in July during a NATO summit, stressing that any such action would require NATO-wide consensus.
As tensions rise in Eastern Europe, Wilson and Cohen argue that permitting Polish interception capabilities would not be an offensive measure but rather a critical step in bolstering NATO’s deterrence posture and ensuring the alliance’s readiness to defend its eastern flank. They further criticized what they describe as the U.S.’s “excessive restraint” in countering Russia’s recent provocations, stating that leniency has emboldened Russia to act more aggressively.
The Helsinki Commission’s recommendation underscores the urgency of fortifying security in NATO member states bordering Russia, with Wilson, a veteran congressman and potential future chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, at the forefront. The commission, formally known as the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, advises on matters of European security, human rights, and democracy, collaborating closely with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).