President Donald Trump has reassured European NATO allies that the US will help to defend them in case of a Russian attack, amid doubts about Washington’s interest in the continent’s security.
Asked by a reporter on Sunday whether he will “help defend Poland and the Baltic states” if Russia “keeps escalating,” Trump said: “I will.”
NATO allies are set to convene early next week after Estonia requested consultations under Article 4 of the alliance’s treaty over reported Russian violations of its airspace on Friday.
According to the Estonian military, three fighter jets entered the country’s airspace without authorization for 12 minutes. Russia has rejected the accusations.
The week before, Polish and NATO forces shot down Russian military drones for the first time, after some 19 drones entered Polish airspace.
On Friday, the Polish Interior Ministry said two Russian fighter jets had approached a Polish oil rig in the Baltic Sea at low altitude.
The fighter jets approached the Petrobaltic drilling platform at an altitude of 150 metres, a ministry spokeswoman wrote on X.
However, the manoeuvre did not violate Poland’s airspace, it said.