Macron: NATO should "strengthen response" to Russian provocations, but without opening fire

NATO countries should strengthen their response in the event of new provocations by Russia, in particular in the airspace of Eastern Europe. This was stated by French President Emmanuel Macron in an interview with France 24 and Radio France International.

"It means that if someone provokes you again, you have to react a little bit more firmly," the French president explained from New York, where he is attending a session of the UN General Assembly.

However, as long as these "checks" are carried out by the Russian army, "we will not open fire," Macron added.

"NATO has responded proportionately by strengthening its defense capabilities," the French president added.

He noted that in the event of "new provocations involving invasion of air or land space, we will have to strengthen our response".

"It is important to show Moscow that we can simultaneously defend Ukraine and continue to protect our airspace. We cannot allow the idea that Poland, Estonia or Romania are in a weak position to take root, because the next step will be Germany and then France," he emphasized .

• On September 19, Russian MiG-31 fighters violated Estonian airspace near Tallinn. In total, they were over Estonia for about 12 minutes.
• On the same day, Russian fighter jets violated the security zone of the Polish Petrobaltic drilling platform in the Baltic Sea. More than a week before, two dozen Russian UAVs violated Polish airspace.
• On September 22, Tusk said that Poland would shoot down objects that clearly violate its airspace. British Foreign Secretary to the UN said she was ready to repel the offending aircraft.