NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has expressed support for statements made this week by United States President Donald Trump, who demanded that Alliance member countries be prepared to shoot down Russian drones and aircraft if they enter allied airspace. In an interview with Fox News, Rutte made it clear that he fully agrees with the US President's approach.
"If necessary. I completely agree with President Trump: if necessary," he said, emphasizing that this is an action that could be taken to protect the security of NATO airspace.
The Secretary General added that the militaries of member countries are specially trained to assess such threats and make the appropriate decisions in concrete situations. “Our armed forces are prepared not only to assess the nature of the threat, but also to determine whether it is possible to escort Russian aircraft out of Allied territory or whether more decisive action should be taken,” he stated.
Rutte stressed that protecting the airspace of member countries is one of NATO's fundamental obligations and that the Alliance stands united in the face of any provocation or potential violation of its air sovereignty. His statements come at a time when tensions between the West and Russia remain high, especially against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and repeated incidents of airspace violations on the Alliance's eastern borders.
