NATO forces intercepted three Russian MiG-31 fighters on Friday after they entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland, triggering complaints of a dangerous new provocation from the transatlantic alliance and the European Union, but a denial from Moscow.
The Security Council will convene an emergency session Monday "in response to Russia's brazen violation of Estonian airspace", said a statement from the Estonian foreign ministry.
The incursion came after fellow NATO member Poland said earlier this month Russian drones had repeatedly violated its airspace during an attack on Ukraine, in what Warsaw condemned as an "act of aggression".
Trump on Sunday joined the condemnation of the latest airspace violation, vowing to defend Poland and the Baltic states in case of escalation from Russia.
Asked whether he would help defend the EU members if Russia intensifies hostilities, Trump told reporters: "Yeah, I would. I would."
Trump's at-times friendly relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin have appeared to fray as the latter continues to press his invasion of Ukraine despite the US leader's push for peace.
Trump said Thursday at the close of a state visit to Britain that Putin had "really let me down" by continuing the war, now in its fourth year.
- 'We don't like it' -
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.
In the incident in Estonian airspace, Italian F-35 fighters attached to NATO's air defence support mission in the Baltic states, along with Swedish and Finnish aircraft, were scrambled to intercept the Russian jets and warn them off.
Asked whether he had been briefed on the situation in Estonia, Trump answered in the affirmative and added: "We don't like it."
That was a change in tone from his reaction to the Polish airspace incursion earlier in the month, which he said "could have been a mistake".
Monday's meeting at the United Nations marks the first time in 34 years of Estonia's UN membership that the European Union and NATO member -- a staunch supporter of Ukraine -- has officially requested an emergency Security Council meeting.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the violation is "part of a broader pattern of escalation by Russia, both regionally and globally".
"This behaviour requires an international response," Tsahkna said.
Estonia and allies denounce 'reckless' Russian air incursion
Tallinn (AFP) Sept 19, 2025 -
Three Russian MiG-31 fighters violated Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland on Friday, Estonia said, triggering complaints of a dangerous new provocation from the EU and NATO but a denial from Moscow.
Italian F-35 fighters attached to NATO's air defence support mission in the Baltic states were scrambled to intercept the Russian jets and warn them off, Estonian and Italian officials said, with alliance chief Mark Rutte praising the "quick and decisive response".
Sweden and Finland also scrambled rapid reaction aircraft, a spokesman for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) told reporters.
Estonia immediately called for urgent talks with NATO allies, less than two weeks after Poland did the same after claiming an incursion by a wave of Russian drones.
The military alliance told AFP in Brussels that the talks could take place "at the start of next week".
The alleged Russian incursion came with tensions high on NATO's eastern border, after Warsaw last week complained that around 20 Russian drones overflew its territory -- though the Kremlin denied targeting Poland.
"Three Russian fighter MiG-31 entered Estonian airspace in the Vaindloo Island area without permission, and remained there for approximately 12 minutes," the Estonian defence forces said.
"The fighter jets did not have flight plans, and their transponders were switched off. At the time of the airspace violation, the fighter jets did not have two-way radio communication with Estonian air traffic control."
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart called the event "yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and NATO's ability to respond".
In response, Russia's defence ministry said the MiGs were on a "scheduled flight" from Karelia, on the border with Finland, to an airfield in its Kaliningrad exclave, which is surrounded by Lithuania and Poland.
"During the flight, the Russian aircraft did not deviate from the agreed-upon route and did not violate Estonian airspace," a statement read, adding that the flight was over "neutral waters of the Baltic Sea, more than three kilometres from the island of Vaindloo".
- 'No accident' -
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal's announcement "to request NATO Article 4 consultations" over the "unacceptable" violation is the second time in under two weeks that a member country has invoked the clause.
Article 4 states that a NATO member can convene urgent talks when it feels its "territorial integrity, political independence or security" are at risk.
Warsaw invoked Article 4 after it shot down what it said were Russian drones on September 9. Romania complained of a similar incursion days later.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky -- whose country is at war with Russia -- on Friday accused Russia of deliberately expanding its "destabilising activity" with the series of airspace violations in Poland, Romania and Estonia.
"As threats escalate, so too will our pressure," added European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who earlier in the day had presented for EU member state approval a 19th package of sanctions targeting Moscow over the Ukraine war.
Italy assumed command of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission -- Operation Baltic Eagle III -- on August 1, with the Italian air force's F-35 aircraft taking responsibility for surveillance of Baltic airspace.
Russia has often tested Western air defences as its invasion of Ukraine grinds on, but Estonia complained that the sorties have become more provocative in recent months.
"Russia has already violated Estonia's airspace four times this year, which in itself is unacceptable. But today's incursion... is unprecedentedly brazen," Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.
- Readiness tested -
"Russia's increasingly extensive testing of boundaries and growing aggressiveness must be met with a swift increase in political and economic pressure," he said.
Tsahkna said Russia's charge d'affaires in Estonia had been summoned to the foreign ministry to receive a formal complaint.
Earlier this month, Estonia complained that a Russian MI-8 helicopter had violated its airspace, also near the island of Vaindloo.
According to the Estonian defence forces, the helicopter entered the country's airspace for about four minutes without making contact with air traffic control.
It also did not have a flight plan, its transponder was turned off and it did not communicate with Estonian air traffic control. Similar incidents occurred on May 13 and June 22.
Last week, Poland and its Italian and Dutch NATO allies scrambled jets to intercept what it said was around 20 Russian drones prowling its airspace. Some of them were shot down.
The UK, Germany and France announced plans to reinforce joint air patrols with more jets based on NATO's eastern flank.
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