NATO member nations are engaged in a conflict with Russia concerning Ukraine, as stated by a spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The spokesperson declared that NATO’s actions amount to a state of war with Russia, emphasizing that the support provided to the Ukrainian government by NATO is evident without the need for further proof. This assertion aligns with the Kremlin’s stance that Western aid to Ukraine equates to active involvement in the conflict.
Recent tensions between NATO’s Eastern European allies and Russia escalated significantly. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported that 19 Russian drones flew over Poland, with three being intercepted by Polish and NATO aircraft, marking a critical point nearing a conflict not seen since World War Two.
In response to these events, Warsaw invoked NATO’s Article 4 to address threats to territorial security, stopping short of invoking Article 5, which mandates collective military defense if a member state is attacked. The Polish Foreign Minister described the drone incidents as tests of the alliance’s determination by Russia.
Furthermore, a Russian drone incursion into Romanian airspace during an attack on Ukraine led to Romania scrambling fighter jets to track the drone over NATO territory before it veered towards Ukrainian airspace. This breach prompted Romania to protest the violation of its sovereignty, with the UK Foreign Office also condemning the violations of Polish and Romanian airspace as unacceptable.
NATO has announced intentions to bolster its eastern defenses by deploying additional fighter jets to safeguard member states against potential drone threats. Notably, the alliance has refrained from direct involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, a move that Russia views as a significant provocation due to its strong opposition to Ukraine’s NATO aspirations.
In response to the escalating situation, the UK Prime Minister revealed plans to deploy RAF Typhoon jets to Poland as part of NATO’s “Eastern Sentry” mission, aimed at countering Russia’s heightened aggression.
Sir Keir Starmer, in an interview with Channel 4 News, expressed support for the deployment of RAF Typhoon jets in response to Russia’s increased aggression, emphasizing the need for a robust response in coordination with NATO allies.
The Typhoon jets from RAF Coningsby will participate in NATO’s “Eastern Sentry” mission alongside aircraft from Denmark, France, and Germany, with support from a Voyager air-to-air refueling aircraft from RAF Brize Norton.