NATO on Tuesday warned Russia that it would use "all necessary military and non-military tools" to defend its members, condemning Moscow for violating Estonian airspace in what it described as a “pattern of increasingly irresponsible behaviour.”
The warning followed Estonia’s report that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered its airspace for 12 minutes last Friday before being escorted out by NATO Italian jets. The week prior, roughly 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, prompting NATO jets to shoot some down and leading the alliance to strengthen its eastern European defenses.
U.S. President Donald Trump signalled support for a firm NATO response during remarks to reporters at the United Nations General Assembly.
Asked whether NATO should shoot down Russian aircraft entering its airspace, he replied, “Yes, I do.”
The NATO statement came after a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, comprised of ambassadors from its 32 member countries, called after Estonia invoked Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty.
Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth spoke with Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur on Tuesday, assuring him that Washington “stands with all NATO allies and that any incursion into NATO airspace is unacceptable.”
Hegseth also praised the rapid response of European air defenses and said the U.S. is closely monitoring the situation.
NATO commanders retain authority
“Russia bears full responsibility for these actions, which are escalatory, risk miscalculation, and endanger lives. They must stop,” the council said.
“Russia should be in no doubt: NATO and Allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions. We will continue to respond in the manner, timing, and domain of our choosing.”
While recent incidents have prompted some European voices to call for shooting down manned Russian fighters that enter NATO airspace, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius cautioned against hasty action.
“Reckless demands to shoot something out of the sky or to send a specific message of strength do not help in this situation. We need to be calm, clear, and prudent—and act appropriately,” he said in Berlin.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte noted that the Russian jets over Estonia had not been intercepted because they were not assessed as an immediate threat, but stressed that commanders have the authority to act if intruding aircraft pose danger.
Defensive but vigilant
NATO’s Article 4 obliges allies to consult whenever a member’s territorial integrity, political independence, or security is threatened. This was only the ninth time in NATO’s 76-year history that Article 4 has been invoked, and the second this month in response to incidents over Poland and Estonia.
Rutte emphasised that NATO is “a defensive alliance, yes, but we are not naive. We see what is happening. If it is not intentional, then it is blatantly incompetent. Even if it is incompetence, we still have to defend ourselves.”
Russia denied Estonia’s claims and accused Tallinn of escalating East-West tensions. Regarding the Polish drone incident, Moscow said the drones were targeting military facilities in western Ukraine and had not intended to enter Polish territory.
NATO reaffirmed that its members will continue supporting Ukraine in exercising its right to self-defense against Russia’s “brutal and unprovoked war of aggression.”
Russia has denied that its planes had entered NATO airspace.
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at ...
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's dis...
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with...
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the Unite...
U.S. investigators have recovered the black box recorders from the wreckage of a UPS cargo plane that crashed in flames on takeoff in Louisville, Kent...
At least 153 people have been killed in Sri Lanka after landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah, officials said on Saturday, with 191 others missing and more than half a million affected nationwide.
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at least 128 people dead.
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174.
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with 150 still missing days after the disaster.
At least 47 people have died and another 21 are reported missing following ten days of heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides across Sri Lanka, local media reported on Thursday (27 November).
Hong Kong fire authorities said they expected to wrap up search and rescue operations on Friday after the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years tore through a massive apartment complex, killing at least 128 people, injuring 79 and leaving around 200 still missing.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited sailors aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Latin American region on Thursday, amid a military buildup by President Donald Trump’s administration that has heightened tensions with Venezuela.
At least 153 people have been killed in Sri Lanka after landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah, officials said on Saturday, with 191 others missing and more than half a million affected nationwide.
The Spanish agricultural sector has been placed on high alert following the confirmation that African Swine Fever (ASF) has resurfaced in the country for the first time in over thirty years.
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at least 128 people dead.
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174.
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with 150 still missing days after the disaster.
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Pope Leo visited Istanbul’s Blue Mosque on Saturday, stepping inside one of the most iconic sites of the Muslim world. He removed his shoes at the entrance in a gesture of respect. He did not appear to pray.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment