Amid Russian incursions, Nato holds meeting to discuss shooting Russian aircraft, Ukraine aid

At a time when Russian aerial incursions are testing Nato’s resolve, the alliance’s defence ministers will on Wednesday meet Brussels to discuss plans to shoot down intruding Russian aircraft and boosting the alliance’s air defences.

In recent months, several Nato countries have reported Russian aircraft ranging from fighter planes to drones have intruded into their airspaces. In multiple instances, air defences systems were pressed into action and fighters were scrambled to respond to intruding aircraft.

While both US President Donald Trump and Nato chief Mark Rutte have said that intruding Russian aircraft should be shot down, some countries in the bloc are cautious about such a move. Moreover, different countries have different air defence policies.

General Alexus Grynkewich, Nato’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, has privately called for the creation of a “unified, single air and missile defence system” to streamline the response to Russian provocations, which would help Nato mount a united response by overriding “national caveats”, sources told The Telegraph.

At the Brussels meeting, ministers will discuss how to go about Grynkewich’s suggestion. Separately, the European Union (EU) will also hold a meeting to discuss the proposed ‘drone wall’.

In parallel efforts, the EU will hold another meeting of member-states’ defence ministers on Wednesday about the proposed ‘drone wall’ to tackle Russian drones. But countries like Germany are skeptical about the effort, according to AFP.

Nato discusses uniform air defence policy to tackle Russian incursions

Under plans in discussions, Russian fighter planes carrying ground-attack missiles over allied airspace will be eligible to be shot down irrespective of individual countries’ policies, according to The Telegraph.

The “weaponry and trajectory” of any intruding aircraft would be the key determining factors for perceived threat, a source told the newspaper.

Previously, Nato chief Rutte has said that the alliance’s response to Russian aerial incursions rests on the escalation ladder and there must be no doubt that Nato forces will shoot down Russian aircraft if they pose a threat during any incursion.

“Our military, our military commanders, our fighter jets, pilots, they can do what is necessary to keep our people safe. If it is, if there is no direct threats, they will escort these planes out of allied airspace. If there is a direct threat, they might ultimately do the ultimate thing,” said Rutte last month.

Separately, there are also calls to merge three air policing missions in eastern Europe into one air defence mission.

Currently, Nato operates Eastern Sentry mission based in Poland, Baltic Sentry mission over the Baltics, and a training and assistance mission for Ukraine based in Poland that also has an air defence element.

“Trying to create a more unified, single, integrated air and missile defence system makes sense, and in order for him to do that, he [General Grynkewich] needs to get rid of as many national caveats as possible. We all have to look sharply and critically at whether those caveats still make sense,” a senior Nato diplomat told The Telegraph.

As things stand today, many Nato members have contrasting air defence policies where some require their pilots to make visual confirmation of perceived threats before taking action while others can act based on radar data, the newspaper reported.

Nato to drum up support for Ukraine

At the Brussels meeting, Nato ministers will also discuss mustering support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.

The meeting will take place shortly after an analysis by Germany’s Kiel Institute showed that Western military aid to Ukraine fell by 43 per cent in July and August compared to the first half of the year.

As the United States has pressed Europe to do more to fund Ukraine’s war efforts, six countries have contributed $2 billion (€1.72 billion) to the fund, according to Euro News.

However, there are concerns that some countries like Italy and Spain are not doing enough, as per the report.

“Time and again, some countries are lagging far behind what they should do,” a senior Nato diplomat told Euro News.

“If Ukraine falls, defence expenditure will be much higher than 5 per cent” of gross domestic product, the diplomat said.