European allies have vowed to shoot down any Russian aircraft violating their airspace after Nato members accused Moscow of repeated incursions into the alliance’s territory in recent weeks. Poland’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, told an emergency UN security council meeting that if another missile or aircraft enters Polish space without permission, “please don’t come here to whine about it” after it is shot down.
Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, echoed the warning, stating: “We will make a decision to shoot down flying objects without discussion when they violate our territory and fly over Poland. There is no room for debate here.” The remarks follow recent incidents, including three Russian MiG-31 jets crossing into Estonian airspace for 12 minutes, and 20 Russian drones entering Polish skies earlier this month, which Nato fighters shot down.
At the UN session, Estonia’s foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, presented radar evidence and photographs of the Russian jets, asserting the incursion was “crystal clear” and that Russia was lying. Russia has rejected the claims, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov calling them “empty, unfounded” and part of a “reckless pattern of escalating tensions.”
The British foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, condemned the acts as “dangerous and reckless” and said: “We stand ready to take all steps necessary to defend Nato skies and Nato’s territory.” The US ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, reassured allies that the US would “defend every inch of Nato territory” and urged Russia to stop such behaviour.
