TALLINN: Estonia has announced that the UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting regarding Russian fighter jets violating its airspace.
NATO forces intercepted three Russian MiG-31 fighters on Friday after they entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland.
The Security Council will convene an emergency session Monday in response to Russia’s brazen violation of Estonian airspace according to the Estonian foreign ministry.
This incident follows similar airspace violations by Russian drones in Poland earlier this month which Warsaw condemned as an act of aggression.
US President Donald Trump joined the condemnation of the latest airspace violation vowing to defend Poland and the Baltic states in case of escalation from Russia.
Trump confirmed he would help defend EU members if Russia intensifies hostilities marking a shift in his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Western powers have warned that Russia is playing with fire with its repeated ventures into NATO airspace whose members have a mutual defence assistance pact.
Italian F-35 fighters attached to NATO’s air defence mission along with Swedish and Finnish aircraft were scrambled to intercept the Russian jets.
Trump stated that he had been briefed on the situation in Estonia and added “We don’t like it” showing a change from his previous reaction to Polish airspace incursions.
Monday’s meeting marks the first time in Estonia’s 34 years of UN membership that the country has officially requested an emergency Security Council session.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the violation is part of a broader pattern of escalation by Russia both regionally and globally.
Tsahkna emphasized that this behaviour requires an international response from the global community. – AFP