NATO Warns Russia Over Verified Airspace Violations Estonia Poland at UN Meeting

NATO allies, led by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, confronted Russia at the United Nations over recent incursions into NATO airspace in Estonia and Poland, warning that such "reckless actions" risk direct armed conflict between NATO and Russia. Estonia reported that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered its airspace unauthorized for 12 minutes, an act viewed by Western officials as a test of NATO's readiness and resolve. Cooper emphasized NATO’s defensive stance and readiness to confront any unauthorized aircraft in alliance airspace. Ukraine's Foreign Minister called for a robust response and offered to integrate its air defenses with neighboring Western countries to counter Russian aggression. The United States' new UN envoy, Michael Waltz, stressed the need for Russia to de-escalate tensions while reaffirming NATO's commitment to defend its territory. Russia denied the accusations, calling them baseless and accusing Europe of staging a "theater of the absurd," while tensions remain high with ongoing drone strikes and reciprocal accusations between Russia and Ukraine.