The members of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the U.S. Helsinki Commission) wrote to Biden with a request “to grant Poland the authority to intercept and neutralize missiles over Ukraine, particularly those threatening to encroach upon Polish airspace.”

The commission’s chair, Republican congressman Joe Wilson, and Democratic representative Steve Cohen argued that the U.S. and its NATO allies are doing too little to deter Russian aggression.

“Despite Russia’s continued escalation through hybrid warfare — airspace violations, attacks on critical infrastructure, and efforts to destabilize democratic institutions — we have hesitated to confront these threats decisively, allowing Russia to wage a war against the alliance with minimal consequences,” the letter was quoted as saying by U.S. political website The Hill, which claimed exclusive access to the document.

“In this context, Poland’s request to intercept and neutralize missiles over Ukraine is both necessary and urgent as a support mechanism for Ukraine and a safeguard to the frontline of NATO’s borders,” the two congressmen continued.

Two Poles were killed in November 2022 after a stray Ukrainian missile struck in eastern Poland. There have also been repeated incursions into Polish airspace by Russian rockets.

In view of the perceived threat, Radosław Sikorski, the Polish foreign minister, suggested in September that Poland should be allowed to extend its air defenses to cover Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the proposal was being discussed by NATO. But Jens Stoltenberg, who headed the alliance at the time, ruled the move out on the grounds that it risked NATO becoming directly involved.

Stoltenberg’s replacement, Mark Rutte, who took the helm in October, has yet to address the issue.