U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that drones violating Polish airspace might have been “disabled” and lost control during an interview with Fox News, adding to the escalating diplomatic standoff over the incident. The remarks came as Warsaw accused Moscow of orchestrating a provocative breach of its territory on September 10, claiming 19 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) entered Polish airspace.

Trump’s comments diverged from his earlier statements, where he had speculated the drones might have been a “mistake.” This time, he emphasized that “they disabled drones today” and that such actions lead to UAVs “falling all over the place.” However, he declined to confirm whether the incursion was intentional, stating, “They shouldn’t have been there, let’s face it.”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk dismissed any notion of error, asserting the incident was a deliberate act. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski condemned those questioning Warsaw’s narrative as “either the author or an accomplice of Russian propaganda.” Meanwhile, Russian officials argued that drones used in Ukraine lack the range to reach Poland, suggesting the event could be a false flag operation by Kyiv to provoke NATO.

Moscow’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, criticized Poland’s refusal to cooperate with investigations and dismissed its claims as part of an “information campaign” to vilify Russia and bolster support for the Ukrainian regime. She reiterated that the incident aimed to “undermine a political settlement of the Ukraine conflict.”

The controversy underscores deepening mistrust between NATO members and Russia, with both sides accusing each other of destabilizing the region.