On September 20, Czech President Petr Pavel spoke strongly that NATO must not let Russian air violations crossing the permitted boundary, and if necessary, must take military action, including shot down Russian aircraft in violation.
Mr. Pavel gave a speech on Czech television, while accusations of Russia violating the airspace of NATO countries, such as Estonia and Poland, continued to increase. He emphasized: "We must act strongly, if there are violations, we must respond accordingly. Admitting to evil is unacceptable".
On September 19, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets were said to have flown into Estonian airspace near the island of Vaindloo for about 12 minutes. They were spotted by an Italian F-35 aircraft, but did not listen to the command from the airline alliance.
Estonia has formally requested consultations under Article 4 of the NATO Treaty, allowing members who feel threatened to hold an urgent meeting with their allies without having to wait for a bigger event.
Also amid this tension, Finnish President Alexander Stubb warned that security commitments for Ukraine if signed by the European country would carry military responsibility if Russia returned to attack in the future.
Russia's continuous accusation of violating NATO airspace is seen as a test of the alliance's solidarity. Mr. Pavel warned that if NATO only responded with words without taking concrete action, violations would continue un Linked.
On the same day, September 19, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the European Union (EU) will respond to all provinceations with determination, while strengthening the defense forces in the East. EU countries also called for a quick approval of the 19th package of sanctions to increase pressure on Russia.
shot down a plane violating airspace is a dangerous escalation - it could lead to a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, a powerful army, with the risk of open conflict. But according to the Czech president, the remaining option is to react or continue to be overwhelmed.
