Trump urges NATO to shoot down Russian aircraft as tensions rise in Europe
During UN General Assembly remarks, former president says NATO allies should act decisively if Russian planes enter their airspace, as recent incursions raise alarms across Europe.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged NATO allies to shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace, saying, “Yes I do,” when asked whether such action should be taken. He voiced the stance while speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, signaling a hard line toward Russia as Moscow’s war in Ukraine continues to unfold.
The question and Trump’s answer came amid a string of Russian air incursions into European airspace this month. In the Gulf of Finland, three Russian MiG-31 jets entered Estonian airspace for about 12 minutes on Sept. 19 before being intercepted by NATO aircraft. A Sept. 21 incident saw a Russian IL-20M reconnaissance plane enter neutral Baltic Sea airspace, prompting German and Swedish jets to intercept it. And on Sept. 22, Russian warplanes crossed into the airspace of Romania and Poland during joint exercises. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the incident a “large-scale provocation” and said Poland would consult under NATO Article 4, warning that there would be no room for debate if Russian aircraft violated Polish territory. Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski later told the UN Security Council that if another missile or aircraft enters Polish space without permission… and gets shot down… “please don't come here to whine about it. You have been warned.”
Trump also pressed that the United States would consider backing up NATO allies who decide to shoot down Russian aircraft, though he added that it would depend on the circumstances. He stressed a favorable view of NATO’s strength and suggested Washington could be “very strong towards NATO” in such scenarios.
The remarks at the UN came as the war between Russia and Ukraine remains unresolved. Trump highlighted what he described as a failure by Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a peace agreement, and he used the moment to reiterate that Western allies should be prepared to act decisively if Russian military flights threaten their borders. He noted that world leaders gathered in New York were discussing the ongoing fighting and the broader security implications for Europe.
The day’s discussions also reflected broader twists in U.S.-Russia diplomacy. In August, Trump hosted Putin for a three-hour meeting in Anchorage, Alaska—an in-person encounter that marked the first time the United States had hosted a Russian president since 2007. After that meeting, Trump said he wanted Putin and Zelensky to hold talks without his presence and offered to help facilitate a peace deal if needed, though the two leaders have not yet conducted direct talks since then and the war has continued to rage.
Moscow has repeatedly denied intent behind its air operations, arguing that electronic warfare disruptions and range limitations in its drones could not reach some of the territories cited by Western officials. Russian officials have similarly blamed interference for the incursions and have accused Kyiv of exaggerating the threat posed by Moscow’s air activity. Still, the incidents have intensified calls among NATO members for greater vigilance and readiness to defend sovereign borders, particularly as the UN session continues and alliance discussions persist about responses to Russian actions.
Trump’s comments at the United Nations echoed a broader pattern of his stance toward the conflict: he has repeatedly questioned Putin’s approach and signaled that he would prefer a negotiated settlement, but he has also framed Russia’s aggression as a direct threat to NATO allies and European security. Zelensky, meanwhile, has pressed for sustained Western support as Kyiv seeks a durable security guarantee and a path toward ending the war.
The broader strategic question remains how Western powers will respond to continued Russian air incursions and what role Trump’s rhetoric might play if he returns to the White House. NATO officials have long emphasized that any decision to shoot down aircraft would depend on a careful assessment of each incident, but the current emphasis on defending sovereign airspace signals a potential shift in tone as European leaders weigh next steps in a protracted conflict.