The U.N. Security Council will meet on Friday to discuss drone incursions into neutral airspace after Poland shot down Russian unmanned aircraft over its territory this week.

Following the incident, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk invoked Article 4 of the NATO treaty, which lets members demand meetings with their allies.

Additionally, security council members Denmark, France, Greece, Slovenia and the U.K. formally asked the U.N. to convene a meeting with the 15-member council on Thursday after Poland downed 16 Russian drones in its airspace.

The incident late Tuesday and early Wednesday marked the first time any NATO member fired a shot since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki said the incursion was a clear provocation and intended as a test of Poland and NATO’s response. Moscow has denied that the incident was intentional and stated that the drones were not going after targets in Poland.

Poland has since initiated flight restrictions on small aircraft on its eastern border with Ukraine and Belarus and issued a ban on drone flights in the same area. The restrictions will stay in place until Dec. 9, the Polish government said.

Germany also issued a statement Thursday saying it would strengthen its commitment to defend Poland’s eastern border.

“In addition to existing commitments in the Baltics and Poland, the government will extend and expand air policing over Poland,” the statement read.

Poland has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters since the Russian invasion began nearly four years ago. Poland has spent over $40 billion on aid to Ukraine, including at least $3 billion on tanks and other armored vehicles, according to the Polish government.

Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told members of his government on Thursday that the drone incursion may have been designed to weaken Poland’s support for Ukraine.

• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.