The Kremlin has recently accused Europe and NATO of engaging in warfare, escalating tensions between Russia and Western allies.
Russia’s recent alarming threat against NATO, warning of repercussions if any of its jets are downed by the alliance, has contributed to a rapidly deteriorating situation.
This development follows accusations against Russia for airspace violations involving NATO members Estonia and Poland.
A week ago, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets reportedly entered Estonia’s airspace for approximately 12 minutes. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna described the incident as ‘unprecedentedly brazen’.
Tsahkna stated: “Russia has violated Estonian airspace four times already this year, which is unacceptable in itself, but today’s violation, during which three fighter jets entered our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen.
“Russia’s ever-increasing testing of borders and aggressiveness must be responded to by rapidly strengthening political and economic pressure.”
Russia, however, rebuffed these claims, asserting that the jets were in international waters over the Baltic Sea, not infringing upon Estonian airspace.
Tensions further escalated when Vladimir Solovyov, an ally of Putin, provocatively suggested targeting Oxford and Cambridge in the UK with nuclear strikes as a demonstration of Russia’s resolve in a nuclear conflict.
Solovyov has previously remarked on the use of nuclear weapons, acknowledging it as a ‘terrible sin’, but suggested that failing to use them and risking a major war is an even greater sin.
Recently, Russia has intensified its rhetoric by claiming that Europe and NATO have effectively ‘declared war’ on them.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, a prominent political figure in Moscow, commented at a G20 meeting on September 25, highlighting the potential for ‘regional conflicts’ and ‘global instability’ if the UN charter isn’t enforced.
Lavrov stated: “[They] have already declared a real war on my country.”
The UN charter in question mandates that its members work towards eliminating the threat of war.
Lavrov continued, “A clear example is the crisis in Ukraine, provoked by the collective West, through whose hands Nato and the EU want to declare, have already declared, a real war on my country and are directly participating in it.”
This rhetoric follows recent comments by former President Donald Trump. After a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23, Trump seemed to shift his stance.
He remarked: “Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act.”
Trump further advocated for Ukraine, writing: “With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this war started, is very much an option.
“Why not? Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years, a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. This does not distinguish Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like a paper tiger.”