New rules for responding to Russian aircraft and drone incursions into NATO airspace have become one of the main topics of discussion within the Alliance.
Source: Censor.NET
This was stated by Belgium’s Defense Minister Theo Francken during a conversation with journalists at NATO headquarters.
When asked about possible changes that would allow allies to shoot down Russian aircraft more quickly in the event of airspace violations, Francken confirmed that this issue is indeed being discussed:
“Yes, one of the topics of discussion is how we can respond more effectively to drones and be more flexible when it comes to Russian aggression in our airspace. That’s true. And it also concerns the rules,” the minister said.
He explained that some countries have their own procedures for making such decisions, while Belgium is fully integrated into NATO’s system, where the decision to shoot down a target is made by an Alliance officer.
“There are states that act independently — for example, Poland. It’s a matter of sovereignty, so the discussion is not an easy one,” Francken added.
According to him, the discussion concerns not only aircraft or drones but also ships. “It’s a big discussion, but I also understand that it’s not that simple,” the Belgian Defense Minister concluded.
Discussion about this post