France sends jets to Poland, the U.Okay. ramps up sanctions in a sign to Russia to not escalate

France mentioned on Friday (September 12, 2025) it’s deploying fighter jets to Poland, and the U.Okay. introduced recent sanctions concentrating on Russia’s oil revenues and struggle machine as Europe’s first, measured steps to Russia’s drone incursion into Poland aimed to ship a sign to Moscow that any additional aggression received’t go unchecked.

French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned he would deploy three superior Rafale fighter jets to assist shield Poland’s airspace and NATO’s japanese flank to fulfil a dedication he made to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. He mentioned the deployment was mentioned with each NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

“The safety of the European continent is our prime precedence. We is not going to yield to Russia’s rising intimidation,” Mr. Macron posted on X.

France’s Defense Ministry mentioned the Rafales will perform patrol missions alongside different NATO plane and might be accompanied by personnel on the bottom. There can even be gear and munitions.

Britain’s new sanctions embody bans on 70 vessels that the U.Okay. says is a part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that transports Russian oil in defiance of sanctions already in place. Some 30 people and corporations — together with Chinese and Turkey-based companies — have additionally been sanctioned for his or her half in supplying Russia with electronics, chemical substances, explosives and different weapons elements.

The new sanctions got here as British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper made her first journey to Kyiv on Friday (September 12, 2025) after her appointment every week in the past following Mr. Starmer’s Cabinet shake-up.

Ms. Cooper mentioned her go to is an illustration of solidarity with Ukraine which faces a tenfold missile and drone Russian assault from a yr in the past.

“The U.Okay. is not going to stand idly by as Putin continues his barbaric invasion of Ukraine,” Ms. Cooper mentioned, noting what she mentioned was the Russian president’s “full disregard for sovereignty” by sending drones in to NATO airspace.

“International motion to extend financial stress on Russia and to chop off crucial money flows which he desperately must pay for this unlawful struggle is significant,” he added.

Reflecting Britain’s assist for Ukraine, Prince Harry made a shock go to to Kyiv the place he’s assembly with wounded service members on Friday (September 12, 2025).

Poland’s Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski was additionally visiting Kyiv on Friday (September 12, 2025). His Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha posted on X that the 2 officers would focus on “shared safety, Ukraine’s EU and NATO accession, and stress on Moscow.” Meanwhile, Poland’s Defense Ministry mentioned it should work with Ukraine to coach personnel on anti-drone defence.

Wednesday’s (September 10, 2025) a number of Russian drone strike on Polish soil rattled Europe’s leaders who noticed it as a deliberate provocation and compelled them to confront long-standing fears that Russia’s three-year struggle on Ukraine might precipitate a wider battle. It additionally compelled NATO allies to take a more in-depth take a look at the means at their disposal to counter any additional threats.

Also, on Friday (September 12, 2025), Russia stoked European unease because it launched a long-planned joint army train with Belarus aiming to showcase shut defence ties between Moscow and Minsk, in addition to Russia’s army may.

U.S.-led efforts to steer Moscow and Kyiv towards a peace settlement have to date didn’t get traction.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned talks to finish the struggle in Ukraine had been at present on “pause” regardless that channels of communication between negotiators stay open.

“One can not merely placed on rose-tinted glasses and count on that the negotiation course of will yield lightning-fast outcomes,” Mr. Peskov mentioned. “The Russian facet stays able to comply with the trail of peaceable dialogue.”

Russian air defences downed 221 Ukrainian drones over greater than a dozen Russian areas early on Friday (September 12, 2025), Russia’s Defense Ministry mentioned.

The assault concerned among the highest numbers of drones reported by the Russian army, however there have been no studies of any vital injury.

Meanwhile, Mr. Tusk, the Polish prime minister, dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the drone incursion into Poland could have been “a mistake.”

“We would additionally want that the drone assault on Poland was a mistake,” Mr. Tusk wrote on X. “But it wasn’t. And we all know it,” he mentioned.