NATO should 'not take the Russians too seriously,' alliance chief claims
NATO should not overestimate Russia's capabilities, Secretary General Mark Rutte claimed on Oct. 15, attempting to subdue concerns about Moscow's hybrid activities targeting the alliance.
"Let's trust our military," Rutte said at a news conference after a meeting with NATO defense ministers in Brussels. "Let's not take the Russians too seriously."
Rutte's comments come amid growing tensions between NATO and Moscow, fueled by Russian aerial incursions into allied airspace, as well as escalating sabotage activities and cyberattacks.
Rutte underscored that NATO countries are "25 times bigger than Russia" in economic terms. Talking about the recent aerial incursions, the secretary general noted that it is difficult to establish whether they were intentional or not.
"We are so much stronger than the Russians that we don’t need to shoot down their planes when they enter our airspace," he added.
The statement contrasts with growing alarm among other Western officials, some of whom called for downing Russian planes if they cross into allied borders.
In September, Polish forces shot down several Russian drones that entered Polish territory. Days later, a Russian drone breached Romanian airspace, though Bucharest chose not to engage it.
Three Russian MiG-31 fighters also entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland for 12 minutes on Sept. 19, prompting the Baltic country to invoke consultations under NATO's Article 4.
Suspicious drone sightings also disrupted airport operations in Germany, Norway, and Denmark in recent weeks.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Oct. 5 that he believes Russia is responsible for many of the unidentified drones spotted over German territory, echoing concerns shared by NATO allies.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept. 28 that Ukrainian intelligence reports indicate Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" of oil tankers is being used to "launch and control" drones over European cities.
The alliance has reinforced defenses with its Eastern Sentry mission amid rising provocations.
