Airspace violations force NATO to tread a tightrope, deterring Russia without hiking tensions
NATO is stepping up aerial surveillance in the Baltic Sea, while France, Germany and Sweden are bolstering Denmark’s air defenses ahead of two summits in Copenhagen this week over a series of troubling drone incidents near the country’s airports and military bases. The number of serious airspace violations in Europe has spiked this month, including by Russian warplanes. But not all NATO allies agree on how to respond. Poland is ready to use lethal force. Others say that must only be a last resort. Regardless of who is to blame in Denmark, European leaders believe that Russia is testing NATO. Military planners in Moscow can observe how Western forces react, and countering intrusions by relatively cheap drones is a financial burden on the allies. In the wake of the drone incident in Poland, NATO launched operation Eastern Sentry, with Britain among the allies to send more air defense equipment. However, these deployments might also deprive Ukraine of the air defense systems it badly needs from its allies. NATO must tread a tightrope in its response. Poland’s message is blunt. It intends to shoot down intruders over its territory. “If another missile or aircraft enters our space without permission, deliberately or by mistake, and gets shot down and the wreckage falls on NATO territory, please don’t come here to whine about it,” Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski told Russia’s U.N. delegation last week. “You have been warned.” Poland activated its air defenses over the weekend during a major Russian attack on Ukraine. Defense is a national prerogative, even within the world’s biggest military alliance. Poland or Finland, say, might use force to defend their territory. U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed that European countries should be able to shoot intruders down. The responsibility for that act would lie with the nation concerned. NATO, though, is likely to be more cautious in any joint operation using aircraft and equipment drawn from across the 32-country alliance. “We have to act decisively and quickly,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said last week, but he underlined that it’s important to “always assess the threat levels” to see whether force is necessary.
Trump Says He’s “Disappointed But Not Done” with Putin, Reaffirms Support for NATO
WASHINGTON, July 15: U.S. President Donald Trump said he remains “disappointed but not done” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a wide-ranging phone interview with an international news service marking one year since the attempt on Trump’s life at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump addressed rising tensions with Russia, reiterating his demand for a ceasefire in Ukraine within 50 days and announcing plans to send additional U.S. weapons to Kyiv. The president also warned of “severe tariffs” on Moscow if no peace agreement is reached. Asked whether he trusted the Russian leader, Trump responded bluntly: “I trust almost no one.” Trump said he had believed on four separate occasions that a peace deal with Russia was within reach, only for the efforts to collapse. “I’ll say: ‘That’s good, I think we’re close to getting it done,’ and then he’ll knock down a building in Kyiv,” he said, referring to Putin. “I’m disappointed in him, but I’m not done with him.” The 20-minute call came after discussions about a formal interview to commemorate the anniversary of Trump surviving an assassination attempt during a campaign event. Asked whether the incident had changed him, Trump said he prefers not to dwell on it. “I don’t like to think about if it did change me… Dwelling on it could be life-changing.” In contrast to his previous criticism of NATO as “obsolete,” Trump expressed full support for the alliance after meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte earlier in the day. “I think NATO is now becoming the opposite of that,” he said, noting that member nations are “paying their own bills.” Trump also reaffirmed his belief in NATO’s principle of collective defense, saying it ensures that smaller countries can defend themselves from larger adversaries. On the United Kingdom, Trump called it a “great place” and confirmed he would make an unprecedented second state visit in September. “Have a good time and respect King Charles, because he’s a great gentleman,” Trump said of his goals for the trip. The interview highlighted Trump’s evolving stance on global alliances and foreign adversaries as he looks ahead to the 2026 general election cycle.
