"What if They Enter with a Tank?": Estonian MP Grills NATO Chief

14 OCT 2025 15:43

The head of the Estonian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Raimond Kaljulaid, has directed a sharp question to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, questioning the Alliance's policy of "proportionate response" to Russian border violations.

During the Q&A session, when Rutte was comparing the economies of Russia and NATO countries, Kaljulaid stated that the intrusion of Russian fighters into Estonia's airspace was not accidental and offered a comparison:

"Suppose a Russian tank enters the city of Narva, and the crew informs us that they want to visit the local 'McDrive' and that they pose no threat. What would you advise in this case? Should we also carefully escort them to the Russian border?"

He then asked a direct question: "What is the difference between an aircraft that has invaded our airspace and a tank or a group of soldiers that has crossed the border?"

The audience responded to this question from the Estonian MP with applause.