Trump: NATO countries should shoot down Russian planes if they enter airspace

President Trump said Tuesday that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft that enter their airspace.

“Yes,” Trump told reporters when asked if NATO countries should shoot down Russian planes. The president made the remarks during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly in New York City.

Trump's remarks come amid an increase in Russian drone activity in NATO airspace in recent weeks as Russia's war against Ukraine drags on in its third year.

Earlier this month, the Polish military and NATO allies downed multiple Russian drones in Polish airspace.

Trump reacted to the incident by saying, “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones?" on his Truth Social platform, adding, "Here we go!”

Russian fighter jets also flew into Estonian airspace on Friday. In response, Estonia Prime Minister Kristen Michal invoked Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty, which allows members to raise concerns regarding territorial integrity or political independence to other NATO countries.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna called the incident “an unprecedented and brazen intrusion — clear proof of Russia’s growing aggression,” in a post on X Friday.

“Such actions cannot be tolerated and must be met with swift political and economic pressure,” Tsahkna added.

Michal, in a post on X Tuesday, said, “intent doesn’t matter – such behavior won’t be tolerated.” Those comments echo NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who said NATO stands, “ready and willing to continue to defend every inch of allied territory,” after a North Atlantic Council meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday.

“Allies affirmed yet again that our shared commitment to collective defense is unshakeable,” Rutte noted. “We do not want to see a continuation of this dangerous pattern by Russia.”

Trump, though, did not fully commit to the U.S. helping shoot down Russian aircraft in NATO airspace, saying it “depends on the circumstance.”

In his first U.N. Security Council meeting on Monday, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz called on Russia to cease violating NATO airspace.

“The United States stands by our NATO allies in the face of these airspace violations,” Waltz added. “And I want to take this first opportunity to repeat, and to emphasize, the United States and our allies will defend every inch of NATO territory.”

NATO increased its defensive posture in response to Russia's recent incursions, which they call Eastern Sentry. NATO officials have touted contributions by NATO's European members of military hardware to help bolster defenses on the alliance's eastern flank.

Laura Kelly contributed to this report.

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