President Donald Trump was asked if NATO member states should shoot down Russian planes that enter their airspace.
He responded, “Yes.”
This comes days after three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets flew into Estonian airspace, staying there for 12 minutes. ... it's clear that Russia is testing NATO, probing for weakness, and trying to show it can escalate on its own terms.
The truth, however, is the opposite. Russia cannot escalate meaningfully. ...
Moscow also wants to test whether the United States would really come to defend its allies in the event of a full confrontation, and that’s why Trump’s answer matters. His “yes” gives reassurance to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, the countries on NATO's eastern flank with Russia that invest heavily in defense.
But the record also shows resolve works with Moscow. When Turkey shot down a Russian jet over its territory in 2015, 17 seconds after it crossed into its airspace, the Kremlin barked but did not bite. When, in 2018, U.S. strikes killed dozens of Wagner fighters in Syria under Trump, Russia remained silent. Whenever the line is drawn clearly, Moscow steps back.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2025-09-24 02:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-09-24 06:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-09-25 06:02 am (UTC)He responded, “Yes.”
This comes days after three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets flew into Estonian airspace, staying there for 12 minutes. ... it's clear that Russia is testing NATO, probing for weakness, and trying to show it can escalate on its own terms.
The truth, however, is the opposite. Russia cannot escalate meaningfully. ...
Moscow also wants to test whether the United States would really come to defend its allies in the event of a full confrontation, and that’s why Trump’s answer matters. His “yes” gives reassurance to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, the countries on NATO's eastern flank with Russia that invest heavily in defense.
But the record also shows resolve works with Moscow. When Turkey shot down a Russian jet over its territory in 2015, 17 seconds after it crossed into its airspace, the Kremlin barked but did not bite. When, in 2018, U.S. strikes killed dozens of Wagner fighters in Syria under Trump, Russia remained silent. Whenever the line is drawn clearly, Moscow steps back.