Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said NATO should determine in advance how it would respond to a hybrid attack against one of its member states. He made the remarks in an interview with the Financial Times.
Sikorski said the key issue is what the alliance would classify as an attack, including a cross-border incident. In his view, material damage is one thing, but casualties would force NATO to hold a much more serious discussion about its response.
At the same time, he acknowledged that the specific threshold for taking tougher action against Russia has not yet been defined. Sikorski also did not specify what form such a NATO response could take.
He recalled that Poland and Estonia had already invoked Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty following incidents involving drones and military aircraft. The mechanism allows allies to hold consultations when a member state believes its security is under threat.
Sikorski also called for stronger pressure on Russia. Among the measures he proposed were closing Russian consulates, restricting the movement of diplomats and tightening visa rules for Russian citizens. According to him, no Russian consulates remain in Poland. He linked these steps to efforts to counter sabotage and cyberattacks.
Meanwhile, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus Grynkewich is expected to present the alliance’s «Theory of Victory» at a security forum in Warsaw.
The document calls for building the military and industrial capacity needed for NATO to prevail in the event of an attack. One of the strategy’s key reference points is 2029.