Durbin Delivers Floor Speech On Russian Drone Incursions Into Poland, Violating NATO Member Airspace

Durbin Delivers Floor Speech On Russian Drone Incursions Into Poland, Violating NATO Member Airspace

The drone attack comes as the Pentagon contemplates ending Durbin's Baltic Security Initiative and Russian President Putin ignoring yet another Trump deadline on the war in Ukraine

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and Co-Chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor condemning Russia for violating NATO airspace with multiple Russian drone incursions into Poland. It was the first time in the history of NATO that alliance fighters had engaged enemy targets in allied airspace.

During his remarks, Durbin also chastised the Pentagon's reported decision to suspend the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI), a program to strengthen military cooperation with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania that Durbin has been integral in establishing. Durbin introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2026 that would shore up support for BSI as the Trump Administration aims to suspend it.

"The Baltic States are some of the most vibrant [and] dedicated members of NATO, spending well above proposed funding targets for defense. The dangerous idea to cut this assistance came just as another deadline from President Trump for Russia to end its war in Ukraine came and went without any consequence. In fact, Vladimir Putin responded like he always does after President Trump sets a deadline or lavishes him with a red carpet on American soil-[by] brazenly increasing deadly attacks on Ukraine," said Durbin.

Just after Trump's most recent deadline for Putin to end the war passed last week, Russia launched one of its biggest aerial assaults on Ukraine in the entire Russia/Ukraine war - and then did so again earlier this week. During these attacks on Ukraine, Russian drones entered Polish airspace. Polish President Tusk said there were 19 Russian drones in the most recent incursion, several of which his nation shot down, including with the help of allied Dutch F-35 fighters.

Durbin said, "Russia has been behind a campaign of sabotage, assassination, and mayhem across NATO, targeting weapons supplies, infrastructure, and dissidents.
So, let me say clearly to President Trump-with Putin thumbing his nose at us, violating NATO airspace, and testing American resolve, this is not the time to back away from our front-line allies. And it is certainly not the time to halt bipartisan Congressional support to the Baltic States."

Durbin concluded, "We should not be fooled. Putin is not our friend. The Baltic States and Poland have proven they are. Vladimir Putin responds only to strength and right now he-and other autocrats around the world are bonding together-he senses American is getting weak. And we in Congress should not be fooled either. We should ensure the Baltic Security Initiative is included in the NDAA and pass the Graham [and] Blumenthal legislation that tightens sanctions on Russia."

In light of the recent news around Poland, Durbin and the Polish Head of Mission will speak later today.

Video of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

In March, Durbin re-introduced the Baltic Security Initiative Act.

Last Congress, Durbin introduced a resolution recognizing the importance of the alliance between the United States and the Baltic States.

In 2022, Durbin traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania, where he received the Aleksandras Stulginskis Star Award-only the second individual and first American to receive this award. It was granted to Durbin forhis decades-long support of Lithuanian independence and democracy and his promotion of parliamentary values. He was in Vilnius almost three years ago on the morning Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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