The White House has responded to Russian drones that violated the airspace of Romania and Latvia last weekend.
John Kirby, Strategic Communications Coordinator for the US National Security Council, said the incidents show the danger Russia poses to European countries.
Russian UAVs have not only crossed the borders of NATO member states but have also crashed on their territories.
“This is, unfortunately, not a new development, as it happened over the course of the war in Ukraine where missile fragments or drone fragments sometimes get caught up in the combat and the air combat and land in a neighboring nation,” Kirby said on Monday.
The US closely monitors the developments and is in close contact with allies and partners on this issue.
“But — but it’s just — it just underscores the — the danger that Mr. Putin’s war in Ukraine has now caused to the whole European continent and the fact that the security landscape has changed — not is changing, not will change, but actually has changed — which is why we’re doing everything we can to make sure Ukraine can defend itself,” he stresses.
During a Russian attack on Ukraine, on the night of September 7-8, it drones entered Romanian airspace. Latvia later said that Russian drones had also crossed into its airspace.
President Edgars Rinkēvičs said the drone first flew into the territory of Belarus, where it then changed course to Latvia.
Romania’s opposition has criticized the government, calling on Parliament to pass a law that would allow shooting down Russian drones.
NATO condemns Russian drone violations of Romania and Latvia airspace
