NATO’S FRAGILE SHIELD

NATO finds itself at a crossroads in the Baltic and Nordic regions, where a string of drone intrusions and airspace violations has reignited anxieties about European security.

- 

Denmark, suddenly the focal point of this aerial drama, has seen its airports and bases repeatedly tested, prompting allies such as France, Germany, and Sweden to bolster its defences. Operation Eastern Sentry, launched after a major incursion in Poland, demonstrates that the alliance is capable of rapid coordination. Yet this agility masks a deeper dilemma: how to counter increasingly cheap provocations without exhausting resources or diverting critical air defence systems away from Ukraine, which still battles Russia’s full-scale aggression. Moscow’s calculus is evident — small, low-cost intrusions can force NATO into expensive deployments, stretching its political and military will while probing for weakness. Each violation is not merely a technical breach of airspace but a strategic signal, designed to test the resilience of Europe's collective shield.