NATO must take “ stable coordinated“ response to incidents where Russian missiles or drones fired at Ukraine enter Alliance airspace. This was insisted by the Romanian Minister of Defense Angel Tilvar, quoted by “Reuters” and BTA.
The countries on NATO's eastern flank, whose defense ministers met in Bucharest today, have repeatedly expressed serious concerns over Russia's activities in the Black Sea region and beyond.
Earlier this month, Russian drones entered NATO airspace in Romania and Latvia and crashed. This prompted official calls for joint action to counter Russian airstrikes.
Last week, Ukraine accused Russia of using strategic bombers to hit a civilian grain ship in a missile attack in Black Sea waters near Romania, further raising tensions between Moscow and the alliance.
„The Bucharest Nine countries are deeply concerned about the repeated incursions of Russian drones and missiles into NATO airspace in Poland, Romania and Latvia, as well as the escalation of tensions on NATO's eastern flank, Tilvar said.< /p>
„This is why a robust, coordinated response at the allied level is needed, as well as the imposition of a rotational air defense and integrated missile defense model as soon as possible,” he insisted.
Polish Deputy Minister of Defense Pawel Zalewski indicated that the destruction of drones entering the airspace of the allies will have to be discussed at the meeting of NATO defense ministers in October.
„We have confirmed hybrid attacks against allies, as well as the participation of Belarus in Russia's actions,”, he noted.
Romania has a 650-kilometer border with Ukraine, and fragments of Russian drones have repeatedly landed on its territory over the past year. Romanian territory is located near Ukrainian ports on the Danube River, which are often the targets of Russian attacks.