Europe warns Kremlin that Russian planes will indeed be shot down – Bloomberg

Diplomats from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany have warned the Kremlin that NATO is ready to respond to further violations of its airspace with full force, including by shooting down Russian aircraft, reports Bloomberg, citing unnamed officials with knowledge of the talks.

In a tense meeting in Moscow this week, they said, British, French and German envoys expressed their concerns about the incursion of three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets into Estonia on September 19. The interlocutors spoke to the media on condition of anonymity, as the negotiations took place behind closed doors.

After this meeting, the interlocutors concluded that this violation of Estonian airspace was a deliberate tactic ordered by Russian commanders.

The officials noted that during the talks in Moscow, a Russian diplomat told the Europeans that the air incursions were allegedly a response to Ukrainian attacks on the temporarily occupied Crimea.

The Kremlin has said that these Ukrainian operations would not have been possible without NATO's support – and as a result, Russia believes it has already entered a confrontation involving European countries, Bloomberg reports.

During these talks, the Russian side took extensive notes, which led European representatives to assume that the Russians were instructed to provide a detailed report on NATO's position to those higher up the chain of command, media interlocutors said.

An unnamed German government official confirmed that the meeting took place and that the ambassadors told Moscow that the air raids must stop. German chancellor Friedrich Merz on September 25, he said that he was coordinating with Paris, London and Warsaw and supporting "all measures necessary."

Spokespeople for Britain and France could not immediately comment to Bloomberg on the meeting.

• On September 22, the British foreign secretary said that the country and NATO would confront Russian planes, if it is required.
• The next day, US president Trump called for to shoot down Russian aircraft, violating NATO airspace.
• However, a day later, his French counterpart Macron said that the Alliance should "strengthen the response" in case of Russian provocations, but do not open fire.
• on September 25, NATO secretary general Rutte said that NATO's military, if necessary, can shoot down Russian aircraft and drones, if they violate their airspace.
• On the same day, five Russian planes were spotted over the Baltic Sea in the evening of September 25 near Latvian airspace. NATO aircraft were scrambled in the sky for protection.