Pole Position

“More than a dozen Russian drones entered Poland overnight, prompting NATO to scramble fighter jets to shoot them down in what Western officials described on Wednesday as a dangerous escalation of the war in neighboring Ukraine. It was the first time in the history of NATO that alliance fighters had engaged enemy targets in allied airspace.” NATO Says It Scrambled Fighter Jets to Shoot Down Russian Drones Over Poland.

+ Alexander Vindman: “This episode underscores how destabilizing Trump has been. He has acted as a friend to America’s enemies and a threat to traditional allies. His actions have emboldened Putin, who has doubled attacks on Ukraine and escalated against NATO. Meanwhile, the administration’s wasteful diversion of U.S. military resources is undermining deterrence and defense.” Putin saw Trump’s red carpet as a welcome mat to do whatever he pleases.