European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday that the option of shooting down a fighter jet that is intruding into NATO airspace is “on the table.”
Von der Leyen’s comment comes after multiple Russian incursions into NATO countries this month, including in Poland, Romania and Estonia, which have put the continent on high alert.
“My opinion is we have to defend every square centimeter of the territory,” von der Leyen said in an interview with CNN. “That means if there is an intrusion in the airspace, after warning, after being very clear, of course the option of shooting down a fighter jet that is intruding our airspace is on the table.”
On the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he believes NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft in their airspace.
Shortly afterwards, Polish Foreign Affairs Minister Radosław Sikorski responded to a clip of Trump’s answer to a reporter’s question on the matter by saying “Roger that.”
Speaking on British radio station LBC on Wednesday, he elaborated, saying: “The army has a duty to protect its territory, also in the air, and we will do what’s necessary.”
But, he said, his preferred response is “that we should intercept drones and cruise missiles over [Ukrainian] territory before they threaten doing damage to lives and property over NATO territory.”
Russian interference in Europe isn’t new, and hasn’t been limited to air incursions. The country has stepped up espionage, cyberattacks and election interference campaigns in European countries since the start of its war in Ukraine.
“Russia is testing on all fields,” von der Leyen told CNN. “I mean, that’s a hybrid war that we experienced since many, many years that Russia is leading against the democracies of the European Union and others. And therefore we fight back on all the different fields. And as I said, it’s a decision of NATO, but I would be very clear. You don’t touch our territory.”
Von der Leyen holds no power to direct military action by EU countries, but as head of the bloc’s executive branch her opinion on the matter is hugely influential.
The post Shooting down Russian jets ‘on the table,’ von der Leyen says appeared first on Politico.
