Russia has issued a stern warning of a “decisive response” to any perceived acts of aggression, following comments by former U.S President Donald Trump endorsing the idea of shooting down Russian aircraft that violate NATO airspace.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized what he described as increasing allegations against Moscow, insisting that Russia has no plans to attack NATO or EU nations.
“Russia is being accused of plotting attacks against the North Atlantic Alliance and EU countries. These claims are baseless. But let me be clear, any act of aggression against Russia will be met with a decisive response,” Lavrov stated.
The warning follows reports from several NATO member states that Russian fighter jets and drones have repeatedly breached their airspace in recent weeks, acts they believe are tests of NATO’s resolve.
In a recent interview, Donald Trump was asked whether NATO allies should shoot down Russian aircraft violating their airspace. He replied bluntly, “Yes, I do.”
This marks a significant shift in tone from Trump, who previously touted his friendly relations with President Vladimir Putin, even inviting him to a summit in Alaska last month, an effort seen by some as an attempt to reintegrate the Russian leader into the global diplomatic community, despite ongoing tensions over the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
However, Trump has since expressed growing dissatisfaction with Putin, now advocating that Ukraine not only reclaim all occupied territory but potentially push into Russia as well.
Despite the mixed signals from Trump, Lavrov appeared to extend an olive branch, praising the former U.S. president for his seemingly pragmatic approach to foreign policy.
“We recognize in the current U.S administration a willingness to pursue realistic solutions to the Ukrainian crisis and to engage in practical cooperation without ideological bias,” Lavrov said.
