Nato warns Russia to stop ‘escalatory’ actions after Estonia airspace violation
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A Sept 19 image showing a Russian MIG-31 fighter jet flying above the Baltic sea after violating Estonian air space.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
- Nato condemned Russia's airspace violations in Estonia and Poland, calling it "increasingly irresponsible behaviour" that risks miscalculation.
- Nato invoked Article 4 after Estonia's airspace breach, vowing to use "all necessary military and non-military tools" to defend itself.
- Russia denies airspace violations, accusing Estonia of escalating tensions; Nato affirms its support for Ukraine's self-defense.
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BRUSSELS - Nato warned Russia on Sept 23 that it would use “all necessary military and non-military tools” to defend itself as it condemned Moscow for violating Estonian airspace in “a pattern of increasingly irresponsible behaviour”.
The warning came after Estonia said on Sept 19 that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated its airspace
The week before, some 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, beef up the defence
US President Donald Trump appeared to come out in favour of a robust Nato response to any future incursions as he spoke to reporters at the United Nations General Assembly.
Asked whether Nato countries should shoot down Russian aircraft that enter their airspace, he told reporters: “Yes, I do.”
The Nato statement followed a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, made up of ambassadors from the alliance’s 32 member countries, which was called after Estonia invoked Article 4 of Nato’s founding treaty.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth held a call with Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur on Sept 23 and told him that Washington “stands with all Nato allies and that any incursion into Nato airspace is unacceptable,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
Mr Hegseth “commended the quick response by European allies’ air defences,” the Pentagon said, adding he told his Estonian counterpart that Washington was closely tracking the situation.
Nato commanders can take ‘ultimate’ decision
“Russia bears full responsibility for these actions, which are escalatory, risk miscalculation and endanger lives. They must stop,” the council said in a statement.
“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,” the statement said.
“We will continue to respond in the manner, timing, and domain of our choosing.”
The recent incidents have prompted calls from some European politicians and analysts for Nato to shoot down manned Russian fighters that intrude on the alliance’s airspace.
But German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warned against such talk.
“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 told reporters in Berlin after a meeting with his Swedish counterpart.
At alliance headquarters in Brussels, Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the Russian jets over Estonia had not been shot down as it had been assessed that they posed no immediate threat.
But he said Nato commanders had the authority to “take the ultimate decision” if they assessed that intruding aircraft did pose such a threat.
Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte speaking at a press conference on Sept 23.
PHOTO: AFP
Defensive alliance but ‘not naive’
Nato’s Article 4 states that allies will “consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security” of a member is threatened.
It is only the ninth time in Nato’s 76-year history that the article has been invoked - and two of those occasions have come this month in response to the incidents over Poland and Estonia.
“We are a defensive alliance, yes, but we are not naive. So we see what is happening,” Mr Rutte said.
“If it is not intentional, then it is blatantly incompetent. And of course, even if it is incompetence, we still have to defend ourselves.”
Russia said on Sept 22 that Estonia’s assertion that Russian jets violated Estonian airspace was unfounded and accused Tallinn of seeking to ratchet up East-West tensions.
On the Polish incident, Russia said its drones had carried out a major attack on military facilities in western Ukraine that night but had not planned to hit targets in Poland.
In its statement, Nato also said its members would not be deterred from continuing to support Ukraine “in the exercise of its inherent right to self-defence against Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war of aggression”. REUTERS
