In a blatant bid to spark Western fears of World War Three, Russia just sent nearly two dozen drones deep into Poland — a gambit that demands the toughest practical response.

Polish and NATO jets had to launch to protect Polish airspace and neutralize Moscow’s incursion: However “accidental” the Kremlin tries to paint its violation, the clear point was to make President Donald Trump and other leaders worry that standing up to Russia risks the unthinkable.

Putin’s pulled something like this time and again these last few years, successfully bluffing the Biden crew into backing off from “excessive” support for Kyiv.

But Trump called out Putin’s Polish game, posting: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”

With Poland invoking NATO’s Article 4, requiring alliance consultation on the naked threat to its security; the allies’ course forward is clear: Call Vlad’s bluff, pushing the US “secondary sanctions” button to starve Moscow’s war machine . . .

. . . and, since those sanctions hit Beijing the most, the Europeans must back them up: If they simply grab the China trade that Washington’s slamming, they’re protecting Putin.

Immediate US military assistance to shore up Ukraine’s air defense also make sense, while Congress moves to pass the bipartisan Senate sanctions bill.

This response is appropriate and measured: Putin can’t keep his war economy going without the oil revenues these sanctions target, yet he has an easy out of finally sitting down at the peace table.

The sanctions will also signal Beijing (whose own economy can’t risk more turmoil) that it’s finally time to rein Moscow in.

Putin tried to scare Trump; our president must now make Vlad blink.