Trump says he 'would' help defend Poland and Baltic states if Russia keeps escalating
US President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he would help defend Poland and the Baltic states if Russia keeps escalating.
Answering a question by a journalist from the Italian news agency Ansa on whether the US would come to the aid of its NATO allies on the border with Russia, Trump said, “Yeah, I would. I would.”
Trump’s answer prior to attending the memorial service of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk in Arizona comes at a time of increased pressure from NATO regarding increased levels of Russian escalation in Europe.
Several countries, including Lithuania, Estonia and the Czech Republic, have urged NATO to implement a stronger response to Russian provocations, including shooting down Russian jets that breach the alliance’s borders.
The reactions came after Russia violated NATO airspace in Estonia for 12 minutes on Friday, causing the country to invoke NATO Article 4 and an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. Earlier in September, a total of 19 drones reportedly violated Polish airspace, prompting Warsaw to take action.
“We must respond appropriately, including possibly shooting down Russian aircraft,” he said, adding, “What has happened in recent days in Poland and Estonia, and what has been happening in Ukraine for four years now, concerns us all. If we don't stick together, sooner or later it will happen to us too," Czech President Petr Pavel said.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Šakaliene also suggested that Russian drones be shot down in a post published on X.
"Three russian fighter jets over Tallinn is one more hard proof that Eastern Sentry is long due. NATO's border in the northeast is being tested for a reason. We need to mean business. PS: Turkey set an example 10 years ago. Some food for thought," Šakaliene wrote.
Poland's Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has also called for more urgent NATO reactions on Sunday, as it reacted to the latest infringement into Estonian airspace.
“NATO should react very firmly and unequivocally to Russia’s provocations,” Sikorski said on Sunday in Boguchwała in the Podkarpacie region.
In response to the most recent violations of their airspace, the Estonian foreign ministry announced that “On September 22 ... the United Nations Security Council will convene an emergency meeting in response to Russia’s brazen violation of Estonian airspace last Friday.”