DETERRENCE THROUGH DIALOGUE

‘The repeated airspace violations reported by Estonia and Poland in recent weeks underline how fragile Europe's eastern security architecture has become. ‘Three Russian fighter jets entering Estonian airspace and twenty drones straying into Poland in September may not sound like full-scale aggression, but they are deliberate provocations intended to test NATO's resolve. Moscow’s denials are predictable, yet they fool no one in Brussels. The decision by Estonia to invoke Article 4 of NATO's founding treaty — the second time in two weeks that a member has done so

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— demonstrates the gravity with which such incidents are viewed. Article 4 consultations do not mean automatic retaliation, but they put urgent security matters on the alliance’s table, forcing a collective conversation that itself acts as a deterrent. For small states like Estonia and Poland, which share historical anxieties about Russian expansionism, such formal consultations are not merely bureaucratic rituals but essential steps to ensure that their concerns are heard and that NATO maintains a united front.