UK Defence Secretary John Healey has cautioned that Vladimir Putin is "testing" the West, but emphasized that Ukraine’s allies remain united and firm in the face of Russian threats.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte delivered a stark warning, pointing out that Moscow’s newest missiles travel at five times the speed of sound. This means that a strike could reach London or Madrid in just five to ten minutes not much longer than it would take to hit eastern European capitals such as Tallinn in Estonia or Vilnius in Lithuania.
Rutte stressed that the idea of NATO’s “eastern flank” can be misleading, because it implies that cities in Western Europe are safer. “If I live in Madrid or in London, I am no safer than when I live in Tallinn,” he explained. “Within this alliance of 32 countries, we all live on the eastern flank.”
This warning comes after a serious incident when NATO fighter jets were scrambled in response to Russian drones entering Polish airspace. Poland described the incursion as an “act of aggression”, prompting NATO to activate Article 4 of its treaty and hold urgent discussions.
Poland’s Armed Forces reported that the drones were detected during a major Russian attack on Ukraine. The event underscored the growing risk that the conflict could spill further into NATO territory.
UK Defence Secretary Healey condemned Russia’s actions, stating:
“Together, we the E5 totally condemn these attacks. Russia’s actions are reckless, they’re dangerous, they’re unprecedented. Yet again Putin is testing us and yet again we will stand firm.”
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