"President Trump, long reluctant to confront Moscow, stunned allies this week by saying he supports shooting down Russian aircraft if the incursions continue. The Kremlin's response was a blunt one: shoot down a Russian jet, and war will follow. The big picture: NATO officials believe Russia is deliberately testing the alliance's defenses - and its political will - with a wave of escalating provocations."
"Sept. 9-10: Nearly two dozen Russian drones entered Polish airspace, forcing NATO to scramble fighter jets and engage enemy targets in allied airspace for the first time in its history. Sept. 13: A Russian drone lingered nearly an hour over Romanian territory. Sept. 19: Three Russian fighter jets flew 12 minutes into Estonian airspace with their transponders off - the most brazen violation yet."
"Zoom in: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told "The Axios Show" on Wednesday night that the "very" weak NATO response had encouraged Putin to probe further. "They have to shoot down everything," Zelensky said, concurring with Trump. "If the jets are in your space, you have to block it." Zelensky said that not all NATO leaders were afraid to take such action, but most are. The reason, he said, is they think "Russia is crazy" - and "they are right.""
NATO is encountering a wave of escalating Russian air and drone provocations across Europe and near North America. Nearly two dozen Russian drones entered Polish airspace Sept. 9-10, forcing NATO to scramble fighters and engage targets in allied airspace for the first time. A Russian drone loitered over Romania Sept. 13, and three Russian fighters penetrated Estonian airspace Sept. 19 with transponders off. U.S. jets intercepted Russian warplanes near Alaska for the ninth time this year, and Norway reported multiple violations after a decade. Eastern NATO members push for stronger responses while others urge caution amid fears of wider conflict.
Read at Axios
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