European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas addressed the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday, stating that Russia will continue with its provocations “as long as we allow it [to do so.]” “It cannot be that Russia ‘accidentally’ violates [European airspace] three times in two weeks. And if it was a mistake, there has been plenty of time for the Russian Federation to apologize … Instead, we see a pattern,” she commented. The EU official said that Moscow is testing the European borders, “probing our resolve.”
Wadephul: Russian jet incursion was ‘dangerous escalation’
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated on Monday that the “incursion” of three Russian fighter jets into Estonian airspace was a “further dangerous escalation” and a “grave violation of international law.” “The incursion came just over a week after more than 20 Russian drones had entered Polish airspace. Once again, in Estonia, Russia violated, without any provocation, the territorial integrity of one of its neighbors, and thus one of the fundamental principles of the UN [United Nations] charter,” Wadephul said during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) adding that “Russia’s ongoing aggression is not only directed against Ukraine and its people; rather, in its reckless behaviour, Russia poses serious danger to regional security as well as to global peace and stability.” During the same meeting, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that if it is needed, NATO will confront Russian planes “operating in NATO airspace without permission.”