MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
After those drones and jets flew over NATO countries, members of the alliance warned Russia on Tuesday they would retaliate in unspecified ways if it happens again. Teri Schultz reports from Brussels.
TERI SCHULTZ, BYLINE: It was the second time in as many weeks that NATO countries met in emergency session to talk about how to handle the growing number of airspace incursions by Russia - fighter jets in Estonian airspace for 12 minutes last week, 19 drones in Poland earlier in the month. While Moscow denies the Estonian breach, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is warning the Kremlin to stop what he called this dangerous pattern, and he praised NATO's response so far.
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MARK RUTTE: Our pilots are doing precisely what they are trained to do when there is a potential risk of incursion. And it works.
SCHULTZ: No NATO citizens have been hurt, nor major infrastructure damaged in the last month by Russian air incursions. But as for deterring the incidents, that's another matter. I asked Rutte about that.
Wouldn't it work better if they never entered NATO airspace?
RUTTE: Clearly, what the Russians are doing is not acceptable, and what they will see now is that whatever happens, we are there.
SCHULTZ: The Polish government has decided to go further than NATO has collectively, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk saying they will, quote, "shoot down flying objects without discussion when they violate our territory and fly over Poland." That intention was underscored by a message from Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski to Russia at a U.N. Security Council meeting called by Estonia.
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RADEK SIKORSKI: If another missile or aircraft enters our space without permission, deliberately or by mistake, and gets shot down and the wreckage falls on NATO territory, please don't come here to whine about it. You have been warned.
SCHULTZ: Meanwhile, in Denmark, authorities are urgently investigating the source of large, sophisticated drones, which forced the closure of Copenhagen Airport for several hours Monday night. The Danish government says the perpetrator must be what it calls a capable actor, stopping short of saying a state actor. Moscow again denies involvement, but some good news Tuesday for eastern flank countries seeking support from their most powerful ally, President Donald Trump.
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UNIDENTIFIED JOURNALIST: Mr. President, do you think that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Yes, I do.
SCHULTZ: Those three words from Washington may be the strongest deterrent yet in NATO's arsenal.
For NPR News, I'm Teri Schultz in Brussels. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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