NATO chief Mark Rutte explained that the alliance did not down the Russian jets and drones in recent incursions because the bloc is “so much stronger than the Russians.”
According to Rutte, the current preference is to lead the planes away unless they pose a direct threat.
“What I’m hearing is that they are saying if a plane would pose a threat, we have
the authorities to do – if necessary – the ultimate,” Rutte said in Slovenia during the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
“But if the plane is not posing a threat, we are not going to shoot it down. And then we will gently guide it outside the airspace. This is exactly what they should do. And I totally agree with that approach,” he added.
Rutte’s comments came following multiple Russian drone and jet incursions into NATO airspace in recent months – including an unprecedented 19-drone incursion into Poland on Sept. 10 and three Russian MiG-31 fighters violating Estonian airspace on Sept. 19.
While the incursions over Poland prompted a NATO F-35 stealth fighter to down a Russian drone, NATO has thus far not attacked any of the manned aircraft.
Following the incursions, a Russian diplomat said that if any Russian planes are downed, it would mean war – airspace violations or not.
Elaborating on why NATO did not down the jets, Rutte said on Monday that it is “because we are so strong.”
“We are so much stronger than the Russians. We don’t have to take down Russian airplanes because they enter our airspace. We do it if they enter our airspace and also pose a threat,” Rutte said.
“If we were weak, you might maybe think, ‘Okay, we are weak, so we have to immediately show them that whenever they enter our airspace, we shoot them down,’ but if they don’t pose a threat, [us] being so much stronger than the Russians, I think it is much stronger that our reaction is as it is, proportionate,” he added.
Following the incursions, NATO has vowed to bolster its eastern flank via air patrols, with multiple member states deploying their air assets along the border with Russia and Belarus. NATO also floated the idea of a “drone wall” soon after the incursions.
Germany, following reports of drone sightings over Munich airport that led to the cancellation of 19 flights, announced plans to purchase over 600 short-range Skyranger anti-drone systems.
While the alliance has thus far avoided downing the Russian planes, unnamed officials also hinted at escalations in military response if the violations persist, with plans to standardize the rules of engagement – though some also hinted at divisions as to how far the response should go in fear of a general conflict between NATO and Russia.
Rutte, however, also said a war could happen “if the Russians would be so idiotic to attack us.”