Another day of tension in Western skies, first in the United States, Alaska, and then in Europe, Latvia. And it's always the same story: Russian planes caught flying too close to, if not within, allied airspace. The "coincidences" are multiplying, and within NATO there's little doubt that Moscow isn't acting by chance, for disparate reasons. Its ambassador in Paris has meanwhile warned: "If one of our planes were to be shot down, it would mean war."

The US Air Force dispatched four F-16s, four tankers, and an E-3 radar to intercept two Tu-95 strategic bombers and two S-35 fighters within the designated identification area; while NATO scrambled two Hungarian Gripen fighters deployed in Lithuania to intercept a Russian Su-30, Su-35, and three MiG-31s flying near Latvian airspace. The new incidents follow the drone scandal between Denmark and Sweden (although the Allied Air Command initially indicated that Russian jets had been spotted near Danish airspace), with Copenhagen tempted to call for further consultations under Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, and with Donald Trump's bellicose comments regarding NATO's expected response to Russian aircraft.

"I just spoke with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen about the drone situation, which we take very seriously," Secretary General Mark Rutte, who is currently in the United States, posted on X. "The allies and Denmark are working together to ensure the security of our critical infrastructure." NATO is certainly going through a tense period, with the capitals at times at odds over how to respond to the Kremlin, and the military trying to calm things down.

"The Russians may be intent on deploying their mind-rape techniques," confides an allied diplomat. Moreover, Trump's emphasis on the possibility that Ukraine—supported by the EU—could reclaim the currently occupied territories is being viewed coldly by certain European governments, fearful that Europe will find itself caught between a rock and a hard place. "Behind this surprising optimism lies the announcement of a reduced US involvement and the transfer of responsibility for ending the war to Europe: better the truth than illusions," notes Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Yes, the conflict. Volodymyr Zelensky, who has always harbored little hope for the outcome of the diplomatic blitzkrieg, told Axios that he had asked Trump for "a new weapons system" that would force Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table and that he had received explicit support from the White House for targeting Russia's energy infrastructure and defense industry.

The Kremlin, the Ukrainian president added, would therefore do well to "study carefully" where "the nearest safe havens" are located. In short, there's little sign of peace. And the tycoon's refrain: "Putin has disappointed me, now he should stop" has little effect. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in an op-ed published by the Financial Times, called on the EU to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine's war effort, with a €140 billion loan, to show Moscow it has the stomach to "stay in the game" and thus push Putin to reconsider.

Tomorrow, the European Commission will bring together nine European countries, plus Ukraine, for the first working meeting on the anti-drone wall project (with NATO participation). These are scattered pieces of a mosaic that is coming together with increasing clarity: Europe must fend for itself.

(Unioneonline)

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