Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap!
The UN security council will meet on Friday to hold an emergency meeting at Poland’s request after a number of Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace (15:43), which Poland argued was a deliberate provocation by Moscow (10:01, 10:12).
Poland’s president Karol Nawrocki warned that “this Russian provocation … was nothing more than an attempt to test our capabilities,” as he blamed Russia for the incident (11:08).
The EU said the incursion was “an aggressive and reckless act” and was “part of a serious escalation by Russia,” only reinforcing the bloc’s “support and resolve to support Ukraine.” (12:56).
Lithuania said the incident “understandably raised level of anxiety” about air security, stressing the need to bring “additional capabilities” to ensure timely response (11:45, 15:30). Germany also said it would expand and extend its air policing over Poland (17:02).
The Netherlands and Spain summoned top Russian diplomats to protest against the Russian drone operations (12:48)
But Supreme Allied Commander Europe Alexus Gregory Grynkewich said the alliance “didn’t know” if the incursion was intentional, and said he had “low confidence” in the reported number of drones (12:05)
Separately, 52 prisoners of various nationalities were released by Belarus, and left for Lithuania with the US delegation that negotiated their release (13:42, 14:13, 14:51, 15:06, 16:09, 17:20)
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for today.
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at [email protected].
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
New French PM Sébastien Lecornu promises ‘profound break’ with past politics
in Paris
The new French prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has promised a “profound break” with past politics as he took over from the unpopular centrist François Bayrou, who was ousted this week over a proposed budget squeeze.
Lecornu, 39, who said “humility” was the key approach, now faces the difficult task of gaining enough support from France’s divided parliament to pass a budget if he is to avoid being swiftly ousted in the same way as Bayrou, and before him, the rightwing Michel Barnier, who only lasted three months.
“We will get there … no path is impossible,” Lecornu said on Wednesday.
Lecornu is the third French prime minister in only one year as the country has gone through a period of instability and political crisis since the centrist president, Emmanuel Macron, called an inconclusive snap election last year.
The parliament remains divided between the three blocs: the left, the far right and the centre, with no clear majority. A budget for next year must be agreed within the coming weeks, even though the political parties are at loggerheads.
