NATO vows ‘resolute, proportionate’ response to any threat following recent drone incursions

ISTANBUL

NATO's Military Committee chair vowed a "resolute" and "proportionate" response to any threat following recent drone incursions in several countries, following the Military Committee Conference in Latvia on Saturday.

"Every threat to NATO's air, land, and sea space will be dealt with a resolute and proportionate response. We are ready. There must be no doubt about it," Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, NATO’s Military Committee chair, said during a joint news conference with the Latvian defense chief Kaspars Pudans.

Dragone noted that the recent alleged Russian drone incursions illustrated their "readiness" to "swiftly reinforce" any ally that comes under threat.

"We do not seek confrontation, but we will not hesitate to undertake any action deemed necessary for our collective defense," he added.

For his part, Pudans said that the recent incursions are part of a wider "campaign of intimidation and aggression" that aims to "destabilize" the region while testing their unity.

"To be clear, NATO and NATO Latvia are prepared to defend every single centimeter of NATO territory. Our national and regional defense plans are structured around the principle of fight," he noted.

Pudans added that they must continue to strengthen their defense capabilities across land, sea, and air, and that the credibility of their deterrence lies in their readiness to act decisively across the full spectrum of threats.

"While we hope for peace, we prepare for war, because preparation is the surest path to readiness," he added.

Several NATO allies, including Poland, Romania, and Estonia, reported airspace violations or drone disruptions this month, some of which NATO officials confirmed were of Russian origin.

Moscow has denied any violations in Estonia, claimed the incident in Poland was unintentional, and dismissed the Romanian accusations as a Ukrainian provocation.

Danish authorities also closed airspace over multiple airports late Thursday amid reports of drone activity, prompting flight diversions and heightening security concerns over what Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described as “a hybrid war unfolding on Danish soil.”

While officials have not identified those behind the incidents, Frederiksen pointed to Russia as the primary threat.

The Russian Embassy in Copenhagen then rejected accusations of Russia's involvement, calling them "absurd speculations" that prompted authorities to temporarily close airports.