NATO will target Russian jets suspected of violating its airspace only if they are deemed a threat, said Secretary-General Mark Rutte. The statement comes amid rising tensions following an incident in which three Russian MIG-31 fighters allegedly breached Estonian airspace. Moscow has criticized NATO’s stance as ‘very reckless and irresponsible,’ while Poland and Sweden have warned they are prepared to shoot, down Russian aircraft if the alleged violations continue. The alliance defense chiefs are lobbying to expand its engagement guidelines to allow Russian jets with ground-attack missiles to be shot down, creating a unified air defense system.
Rutte, in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, admitted that the alleged Russian incursion into Estonian airspace was ‘not intentional, but it was anyway reckless.’ He described the actions as ‘unacceptable’ and stressed that they ‘got to stop.’ This statement follows a tense episode last month when Estonia called for NATO-wide consultations after claiming the Russian aircraft entered its territory.
Following the incident, Poland and Sweden expressed concerns about ongoing Russian violations and pledged to take measures to protect NATO airspace. The Kremlin has responded strongly, calling the statements from these countries ‘very reckless and irresponsible.’ Russia’s Ambassador to France, Aleksey Meshkov, warned that if any NATO member hits a Russian jet, it ‘would mean war.’ He also noted that many NATO military planes ‘accidentally or not accidentally’ violate Russian airspace, yet ‘no one shoots them down.’ These remarks underscore the complexity of the situation and the potential for escalation.
Behind the scenes, NATO defense chiefs are working to align the bloc’s approach on dealing with hostile aircraft. According to the Telegraph, General Alexus Grynkewich, the NATO supreme allied commander Europe, has privately called for a ‘unified, single air and missile defense system’ to address the threat posed by Russian planes. Currently, individual NATO members have different rules for targeting aircraft over their territory, which may hinder a coordinated response. The push for a unified system indicates growing concerns within the alliance about the security risks posed by Russian military activity.