It was a moment of blunt clarity from Washington, US President Donald Trump has said NATO should pull the trigger on Russian aircraft if they stray into allied airspace. His comments follow a string of recent Russian incursions that have rattled Europe’s eastern flank.
Speaking to reporters in New York ahead of a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump didn’t hesitate when asked whether NATO nations should respond with force. “Yes, I do,” he said, signalling support for a much tougher stance after Moscow’s repeated violations.
Rising Tensions Over Europe
The warning comes just days after Estonia accused Russia of sending three MiG-31 fighter jets into its airspace, lingering for 12 minutes before being escorted out by NATO’s Italian fighter aircraft. That incident followed a wave of aggression the week before, when around 20 Russian drones breached Polish skies, prompting NATO jets to shoot several down.
NATO responded with a sharp statement on Tuesday, vowing to use “all necessary military and non-military tools” to defend itself. The alliance condemned Moscow’s “pattern of increasingly irresponsible behaviour”, a phrase aimed squarely at the Kremlin’s escalating provocations.
NATO Closes Ranks
Estonia, feeling the pressure on its doorstep, invoked Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty, a move that requires urgent consultations among all 32 members of the alliance. In a show of unity, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth personally called Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur, reaffirming Washington’s support. The Pentagon stressed any breach of NATO airspace was simply “unacceptable.”
The Group of Seven nations also weighed in, branding the airspace violations in Estonia, Poland and Romania “unacceptable” and promising further pressure on Moscow. The G7 pledged to step up support for Ukraine with “robust and credible security guarantees”, while also threatening new economic measures against Russia and any so-called “third country enablers” keeping its war machine afloat.
A Line in the Sky
Trump’s words mark a clear call for NATO to back up its warnings with action, even if that means risking direct confrontation with Russia. With Russian jets and drones testing Europe’s skies, the question now is whether NATO will be ready to enforce its red lines if the provocations continue.
