The secretary general of the Take, Mark Ruttepointed out this Wednesday that the member countries of this alliance would only shoot down Russian aircraft over their airspace if they were sure that they represented a threat, after the recent succession of incursions by Russian fighters and drones.
Rutte spoke thus upon his arrival at the meeting of NATO Defense Ministers that was held this Wednesday in Brussels to analyze the international situation, and in the midst of the return of the controversy over the investment commitment closed at the allied summit in The Hague and the threats of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, against Spain for that reason.
At the meeting, the heads of the branch of the allied countries discussed “how to ensure that Ukraine continues to be strong against Russiaand of course NATO remains strong when it comes to drones,” Rutte said before the meeting.
Specifically, it has addressed “the progress of the United States program to provide lethal and non-lethal equipment to Ukraine paid by the allies”, according to the head of NATO, who expressed confidence that “many more countries” will support this initiative.
Regarding the succession of incidents with Russian fighters and planes over allied countries, Rutte admitted that they have raised “questions” about whether “NATO would be able to act decisively and necessary if something happens over its airspace.” In this sense, he highlighted the need to distinguish whether or not a plane that enters allied airspace represents a threat. “If it is a threat, we will do everything necessary to ensure that it does not materialize, but if it is not a threat, as a strong alliance and taking into account that we are much stronger than Russia, we have to ensure that that plane is carefully guided out of our airspace,” he explained.
“We have all the tools”
“But if Russia intentionally tries something against NATO, we have all the tools to defend our territory and airspace,” added Rutte, who also stated that the allies responded “exactly as they should” in the incursions of Russian fighters into Estonian airspace and in the drone raids over Poland.
Asked about the project “antidrone wall” driven by the European Commission In response to the increase in incidents with unmanned aircraft on the eastern flank of the Twenty-Seven, Rutte assured that “there is no duplication at all” with NATO capabilities.
He noted that both organizations “work very well together” combining the capabilities and military power of the Atlantic Alliance and “the enormous soft power of the common market” and the “ability to work together” of the EU. “It’s one of the things the Russians are trying to divide, and they’re not succeeding,” he said.
