“No-one is safe in Europe”: Lithuanian FM says drone incidents can escalate

Reuters reported the information.

Poland shot down drones during Russia’s attack on western Ukraine, labeling it “an act of aggression” and becoming the first member of the alliance that has fired shots in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

"No-one is safe here, no-one is safe in the region, no-one is safe in Europe and within the alliance, because those incidents are very close to the situations when everything is going to escalate," Budrys said.

"We have a strong interest - probably the strongest and biggest one - to avoid these scenarios... Scenarios like we are getting in some situations where we exchange the use of military power against each other," he said when asked whether such incidents risk dragging NATO into direct conflict with Russia.

According to Budrys, the Baltic country, a NATO and EU member bordering Russia and Belarus, has not confirmed whether the Russian drone incursion into neighboring Poland was intentional.

He said that Russia has the responsibility to prevent military drones from entering NATO territory and that NATO must send a strong message to Russia that it is dealing with a situation that could escalate.

"It is in everyone's interest to avoid this, Russia's also," said the minister.

NATO should also work to increase air defenses in the Baltics and in Poland, which all border Russia or Belarus, Budrys added.