NATO Chief: We Won't Shoot Down Russian Jets

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has clarified the North Atlantic Alliance's position regarding Russian aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles that regularly violate the airspace of the alliance's member countries. His explanation presents a strategy based not on an aggressive response, but on a combination of strength and restraint.

According to Rutte, the principle of "proportional response" is at the core of NATO's actions. He emphasized that a Russian aircraft cannot be shot down simply because it has crossed the alliance's airspace. The use of extreme measures is possible in only one case. "If the aircraft poses a threat, we have the authority to use, if necessary, extreme measures. But if the aircraft does not pose a threat, we will not shoot it down. In that case, we will carefully escort it out of the airspace. This is exactly what we should do, and I fully agree with this approach," the NATO chief stated.

At the core of Rutte's argument is the conviction that real strength is manifested not in a lightning-fast and aggressive response, but in restraint and the ability to control the situation. He drew a direct comparison between the power of the Alliance and Russia.

"This is a proportional response. Exactly. And we are so much stronger than the Russians that we do not need to shoot down Russian aircraft simply because they enter our airspace," he stressed.

The Secretary General added that if the Alliance countries were weak, then perhaps someone would think about shooting down the plane to demonstrate their own strength and show determination. However, according to him, NATO does not need such a step. The power of the Alliance allows it to act with confidence, without resorting to escalation, as the border violation is not perceived as a real military threat.

In addition to direct interaction in European airspace, Rutte also touched upon larger global threats, where Russia could play a role together with China. The NATO chief presented a scenario where European security is directly linked to events taking place in Asia.

"If China were to take steps against Taiwan, it is likely that it would force its junior partner, the Russian Federation, to start actions against NATO to keep us busy here," noted Mark Rutte.

This view considers Russia not only as a regional adversary but also as a possible participant in a larger geopolitical game led by China, emphasizing the need for NATO to have a comprehensive global strategy.