Airspace violations by Russia are testing NATO

NATO is stepping up aerial surveillance in the Baltic Sea, while France, Germany and Sweden are bolstering Denmark’s air defenses ahead of two summitsin Copenhagen this week over a series of troubling drone incidents near the country’s airports and military bases.

- By LorngE Cook

The number of serious airspace violations in Europe has surged this month, including by Russian warplanes. But not all NATO allies agree on howto respond. Poland is ready to use lethal force. Others say that must be only alast resort.

Regardless of who is to blame in Denmark, European leaders believe that Russia is testing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Military planners in Moscow can observe how Western forces react, and countering intrusions by relatively cheap drones is a financial burden on the allies.

In the wake of the drone incident in Poland, NATO launched operation Eastern Sentry, with Britain among the allies to send more air defense equipment.

However, these deployments might also deprive Ukraine of the air defense systems it badly needs from itsallies. NATO must tread a tightrope in its response.

Signal on use of lethal force

Poland’s message is blunt. It intends to shoot down intruders.

“If another missile or aircraft enters our space without permission, deliberately or by mistake, and gets shot down and the wreckage falls on NATO territory, please don’t come here to whine about it,” Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski told Russia’s U.N. delegation last week. “You have been warned.”

Poland activated its air defenses over the weekend during a major Russian attack on Ukraine.

Defense isa national prerogative, even within the world’s biggest military alliance. Poland or Finland, say, might use force to defend their territory. President Trump has agreed that European countries should be able to shoot down intruders.