The United States and its allies will defend “every inch” of NATO member states’ territory, US Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Walz said on 22 September at a Security Council meeting on several instances of Russia’s likely violation of NATO airspace.
On the night of 10 September, about 20 Russian drones crossed the Polish border, according to Polish authorities. Several of the drones were shot down by NATO aircraft. A drone was also reported to have flown in Romanian airspace. On 19 September, authorities in Estonia and other NATO countries said three Russian fighter jets violated Estonian airspace over the Baltic Sea and remained in it for at least 12 minutes.
Representatives of NATO countries heavily criticised Russia at the meeting. British foreign policy chief Yvette Cooper said Russia’s “irresponsible actions” posed a risk of direct armed conflict between NATO and Russia. “If we have to fight back against aircraft that operate in NATO airspace without authorisation, we will,” she said.
Representatives of Estonia, Romania and Poland also voiced condemnation at the meeting. EU diplomatic chief Kaja Kallas, who also attended the meeting, said several incidents in less than two weeks could not be a coincidence and said Moscow would continue “provocations” as long as they went unpunished.
Russian representative Dmitry Polyansky said NATO countries had no proof that Russia had violated their airspace and called what was happening a “theatre of the absurd”.
No decisions were made at the meeting. On 23 September, NATO countries are expected to hold consultations under Article Four of the North Atlantic Treaty at Estonia’s request.
Michael Volz attended the Security Council meeting for the first time as a US representative. He was President Donald Trump’s national security aide until 1 May, but resigned after a leaked official communication on the messenger Signal.