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By Shane Croucher and Robert Birsel
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NATO allies are discussing easing rules for pilots to permit them to shoot down Russian aircraft, according to a report by the Financial Times. The news comes as alliance members consider a tougher approach against Moscow following a spate of alleged airspace violations, drone swarms, and sabotage plots in Europe.
A NATO official told Newsweek: "When it comes to the range of hybrid or grey-zone activities we’ve seen, including cyber-attacks, drone incursions, or attempts to sabotage critical infrastructure, NATO is working closely with Allies to ensure that we’re taking appropriate steps to ensure we can deter and defend. This isn’t new, and we continue to adapt as the situation evolves."
Why It Matters
NATO-Russia tensions are worsening as the war in Ukraine rages on and there is an increasing risk of a direct conflict between Russia and NATO.
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Both sides have characterized the current situation as a form of war with each other, though there has been no such formal declaration by either Russia or NATO.
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What To Know
The FT, citing four unidentified NATO officials, said NATO allies are discussing a more forceful response to increasingly provocative Russian actions, including easing restrictions on pilots to allow them to open fire on Russian aircraft and deploying armed drones along the border with Russia. The asymmetric cost of scrambling fighter jets to intercept drones is a running concern for the alliance, which is seeking a financially sustainable solution.
NATO members on the front line with Russia, backed by France and Britain, initiated the discussions, which have since broadened to a larger group in the 32-strong alliance, the newspaper reported.
"One example of our work in this area is Baltic Sentry, which was launched in response to incidents affecting critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea," the NATO official told Newsweek in a statement.
"We started this in January, bringing both sea- and air-based assets to deter potential hostile activity in the Baltic. This has been very effective. In response to airspace violations last month, we launched Eastern Sentry, which adds strength and flexibility to our posture along the Eastern Flank and beyond, and also incorporates new and novel technologies."
President Donald Trump said last month that NATO forces should open fire on Russian aircraft that breach allied territory. A Kremlin spokesman said "such rhetoric only serves to heighten hostility."
Poland's military shot down intruding Russian drones on September 10 after it scrambled aircraft in response to what it called an "unprecedented" violation of its airspace as Russian forces attacked nearby western Ukraine. That was the first direct confrontation between NATO aircraft and Russian drones.
Russian aircraft later intruded into Estonian airspace while numerous unexplained drone flights over European NATO members Romania, Denmark and most recently Belgium and Germany, have exacerbated tensions and led to calls within NATO for the rapid development of better detection, tracking and interception of UAVs violating Europe’s airspace.
Russia, which has mocked and denied the accusations against it, has warned that NATO shooting down its aircraft would be a serious escalation that could lead to open war. But some in the alliance believe that Russia responds only to hard deterrence, and so airspace violations must be met with a powerful response.
The EU is preparing its own steps in response to Russian provocations.
“This is a deliberate and targeted gray zone campaign against Europe. And Europe must respond,” President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament on Wednesday.
What People Are Saying
Von der Leyen, referring to airspace violations, said on Wednesday: “These incidents are calculated to linger in the twilight of deniability. This is not random harassment, it is a coherent and escalating campaign to unsettle our citizens, test our resolve, divide our union and weaken our support for Ukraine and it is time to call it by its name—this is hybrid warfare.”
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a Telegram post this week: "European cities have been gripped by an epidemic of UFDs, or unidentified flying drones. UAVs are everywhere: near military bases, at airports, over fields and above cities. Whose they are is unclear."
What Happens Next
The four NATO officials told the FT that there is no timeline or obligation to agree on any change in posture, and a shift may not be announced publicly.
Updated, 10/9/2025, 1:05 p.m. ET: This article was updated with a statement from a NATO official.
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