The UK has warned it is prepared to confront Russian aircraft if they violate NATO airspace, with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper warning that Moscow’s actions could trigger a “direct armed confrontation” with the Alliance. Speaking at an emergency UN Security Council meeting, Cooper said the UK would “take all steps necessary to defend NATO’s skies and territory,” stressing that unauthorized Russian planes would be challenged.
Her remarks came as Ukraine and its allies gathered in New York to address reports of Russian fighter jet and drone incursions into NATO member states Estonia, Poland, and Romania. The warning coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offer to US President Donald Trump of an extension to a nuclear deal with Washington, which the Trump administration has described as “pretty good.”
Once a more cooperative partnership, ties between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Moscow have deteriorated sharply, today resembling the tense standoff of the Cold War. NATO leaders view Russia as a direct security threat, but repeated warnings and condemnations from the Alliance have so far had little effect on the Kremlin.
So, how has a previously constructive relationship between NATO and Russia turned so fractious? Click through this gallery and find out more about why Russia fell out with NATO.