Against the backdrop of recent violations of Polish and Estonian airspace by Russian aircraft and drones, it is “especially important” to recall the importance of NATO membership, Czech President Petr Pavel said.
He said Moscow’s actions represent a “serious escalation” in European security and the responsibility for this lies entirely with Russia.
“Moscow is not only waging a war of aggression against Ukraine, but is also provoking NATO countries in an unprecedented way, seeking to test our resolve and readiness to defend ourselves,” Pavel stressed.
He warned that violation of the airspace could be grounds for engaging the alliance’s defence mechanisms, “including the destruction of the violator”.
“This is absolutely irresponsible Russian behaviour,” the president noted.
Pavel also emphasised that the Kremlin would act “as aggressively” as the international community would allow it.
“If we only pay lip service to Russian provocations, they will continue. Russia always responds: ‘because we can’. The only way to stop them-a tough response, including military methods,” he said.
“It is simply impossible to give in to evil,” the Czech president summarised.
Earlier, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas called the incident an “extremely dangerous provocation,” while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that “as threats grow, so will our pressure.”
On 18 September, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland without permission and stayed there for a total of 12 minutes. The Baltic country’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said it was the fourth time since the beginning of the year that Russia had violated Estonian airspace, but that the incident was “unprecedentedly audacious”.