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NATO on Tuesday warned Russia to halt an “escalatory” pattern of airspace violations after armed Russian fighter jets entered Estonian territory last week, prompting the alliance to convene emergency talks in Brussels.
“Russia bears full responsibility for these actions, which are escalatory, risk miscalculation, and endanger lives. They must stop,” NATO’s 32 member states said in a statement after the Sept. 19 incident.
Estonia said Russian MiG-31 jets violated its airspace for about 12 minutes.
NATO confirmed allied aircraft were scrambled to intercept and escort the jets out.
Tallinn invoked Article 4 of the alliance’s founding treaty, which allows members to call urgent consultations if their territorial integrity or security is at risk.
It was the second time in two weeks that the North Atlantic Council met under Article 4. On Sept. 10, Poland triggered consultations after Russian drones crossed its border.
NATO members Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Romania have also reported recent violations.
“Russia should be in no doubt: NATO and allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions,” the statement said.
The alliance added it would “respond in the manner, timing, and domain of our choosing.”
NATO pointed to the launch of its Eastern Sentry mission to bolster air defenses along its eastern flank and said its collective defense commitment under Article 5 remains “ironclad.”
“Allies will not be deterred by these and other irresponsible acts by Russia from their enduring commitments to support Ukraine, whose security contributes to ours, in the exercise of its inherent right to self-defense against Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war of aggression,” the statement added.
The Sept. 19 incursion came just over a week after NATO jets shot down Russian drones over Poland, sparking Warsaw to demand similar talks.
The spike in incidents has raised concerns that Russia’s war in Ukraine could spill into alliance territory.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO members have invoked Article 4 three times.
In its 79-year history, the provision has been used only nine times.
NATO’s collective defense principle under Article 5—treating an attack on one member as an attack on all—has been invoked only once, following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.
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