Macron says ‘nothing ruled out’ if Russian plane violates Europe’s airspace
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A Russian MIG-31 fighter jet flying above the Baltic sea after violating Estonian air space in September.
PHOTO: AFP
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- Macron stated "nothing is ruled out" when asked about shooting down a Russian fighter jet violating European airspace, maintaining strategic ambiguity.
- This followed drone incursions into NATO members Poland and Romania, with Macron saying the response to "new provocations" would need to "go up a notch".
- France is also investigating the EU-sanctioned, Russian-linked oil tanker Boracay, suspected of involvement in sanction-busting and drone flights.
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PARIS - France’s President Emmanuel Macron said on Oct 1 he did not rule out downing a Russian fighter jet if it were to breach European airspace.
German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in an interview asked the French president if he was “in favour of shooting down a Russian fighter jet if it enters European airspace without authorisation”.
“In accordance with the doctrine of strategic ambiguity, I can tell you that nothing is ruled out,” Mr Macron replied.
After Russia was blamed for drone incursions into Nato members Poland and Romania, Mr Macron last week said the alliance’s response would have to “go up a notch” in the case of “new provocations” from Moscow.
Romania’s defence ministry said in September the country’s airspace had been breached by a drone
Nato member Poland also said in September it had shot down Russian drones
Mr Macron earlier on Oct 1 said France was investigating an EU-sanctioned, Russian-linked oil tanker anchored off the French coast for what he said were “serious offences”.
The Boracay, a Benin-flagged vessel, has been blacklisted by the European Union for being part of Russia’s sanction-busting “shadow fleet”.
According to the specialist website The Maritime Executive, the vessel is suspected of being involved in mystery drone flights that disrupted air traffic in Denmark in September. AFP
