The Czech president, Petr Pavel, has called on Nato to adopt a more assertive stance against Russia, including the possibility of shooting down aircraft that violate allied airspace. In an interview with the Guardian, Pavel, a former general and ex-chair of the Nato military committee, urged the alliance to 'show its teeth' in response to what he described as Moscow's repeated testing of Nato's resolve on its eastern flank.
Pavel suggested a range of asymmetric responses, such as switching off Russia's internet, cutting its banks off from global financial systems, and intercepting jets that breach Nato airspace. He warned that without decisive action, the Kremlin would escalate its provocations. 'If violations of Nato airspace continue, we would have to come to a decision to shoot down either an unmanned or manned aircraft,' he said.
The president expressed frustration with what he saw as a lack of determination from the United States in countering Russian aggression, though he avoided direct criticism of President Donald Trump. Pavel noted that Russian military leaders had laughed at Nato's decision-making paralysis, telling him they conducted provocative actions 'because we can'. He stressed that Russia 'does not understand nice language' and responds only to 'the language of power, ideally accompanied with action'.
Pavel echoed warnings from Poland's prime minister, Donald Tusk, that failing to respond to current violations would lead to further Russian escalation. He highlighted the risk of provocations below the threshold of Article 5, which states that an armed attack on one member is an attack on all. The Czech leader urged Nato members to maintain a firm line, warning that a preference for diplomatic solutions in the face of Russian intransigence could divide the alliance.
