Several German lawmakers want NATO countries to get more directly involved in the Ukraine war and start shooting down Russian missiles flying over Ukrainian territory.
CDU politician Nico Lange and Lieutenant General Henrich Brauss, among others, have suggested that NATO countries bordering Ukraine – such as Poland and Romania – should defend the airspace over western Ukraine and shoot down Russian missiles.
– Defending airspace over Ukraine from Poland and Romania should not be ruled out in the long term, agrees Anton Hofreiter of the governing Green Party.
However, he says the issue is currently “not being discussed” and the focus is currently on delivering more weapons to Kiev.
Hofreiter’s party colleague, Agnieszka Brugger, also believes that it would be useful to ”station air defense systems on the borders of neighbouring countries so that the western parts of Ukraine can also be protected”.
Can ”relieve” Ukraine
This view is shared by Roderich Kiesewetter of the opposition CDU, who thinks NATO should shoot down Russian unmanned aerial vehicles fired at Ukraine.
– This would relieve the Ukrainian air defense and allow it to protect the front, he says, comparing it to how the US and allies protect Israel’s airspace.
Marcus Faber of the governing coalition’s Free Democratic Party (FDP) also agrees that NATO should take a more offensive role and believes that ”the airspace over the Ukrainian border areas” could in principle be ”protected by air defenses on NATO territory”.
However, air defense systems and missiles are currently in short supply, which risks slowing down the plans somewhat.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron said he would consider deploying ground troops to Ukraine and, according to Poland’s foreign minister, NATO forces have already been in place for some time and are taking part in the fighting. NATO countries have not yet officially declared war on Russia and any direct military involvement is considered highly sensitive.
