Russia's war against Ukraine will keep NATO at ongoing risk, Estonian FM says
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna (photo: Getty Images)
NATO shot down a Russian drone over Romania, reaffirming its readiness to defend allied territory. Still, the threat to the Alliance will persist as long as Russia continues its aggression against Ukraine, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.
Drone shootdown, threats to Alliance
The foreign minister said the overnight incident was another confirmation of NATO's ability to respond effectively to threats.
"Overnight, NATO once again demonstrated its readiness and ability to defend every inch of Allied territory, as a drone was successfully shot down over Romania," Tsahkna noted.
At the same time, he stressed that the threat to NATO countries will not disappear until Russia ends its military actions.
"At the same time, the threat to NATO will persist as long as Russia continues its war of aggression against Ukraine," the diplomat added.
Call to step up support for Ukraine
According to the head of Estonia's foreign ministry, partners must continue to provide comprehensive assistance to Kyiv and increase pressure on Moscow.
Tsahkna stressed the need to maintain strong military, economic and political support for Ukraine.
In his view, this, together with increased pressure on Russia, is the only path to ending the war and achieving a just and lasting peace.
Drone incidents in Romania
As previously reported, Russian air targets have repeatedly entered Romanian airspace, and their debris has fallen on Romanian territory, particularly during massive attacks on Ukrainian Danube ports.
Earlier, NATO Air Forces reported that a Spanish F-18 fighter jet shot down a Russian drone over Romania. The incident was one of a series of airspace infringements involving an allied country this year.
Later, NATO operation headquarters provided additional details about the incident. In particular, the Alliance identified the likely origin of the downed UAV, saying the drone entered Romanian airspace from Moldova.
Romania's border areas also recently faced another threat. In particular, Romania found fragments of a fourth drone in a single day. Debris from the UAV was found in the village of Plauru, located just two kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
