NATO must remain united and respond decisively to Russian provocations, Czech President Petr Pavel said on Sept. 20 amid increased Russian violations of NATO airspace.
"In these times, we must act firmly, and if violations occur, we must respond accordingly, including militarily. Russia will very quickly realize it has made a mistake and overstepped its bounds. Unfortunately, this is balancing on the brink of conflict, but giving in to evil is simply impossible," Pavel said in an interview with public broadcaster Czech Television.
"What happened in recent days in Poland and Estonia, and what has been happening in Ukraine for four years, concerns us all, because if we don't remain united, sooner or later it will happen to us too," he added.
Moscow violated Polish airspace on Sept. 10, prompting Warsaw to shoot down Russian drones over its territory in a first for any NATO member in over three years of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
Russian drones again violated EU and NATO airspace, flying over Romanian territory on Sept. 13 amid a mass aerial attack on Ukraine. Most recently, three Russian jets violated Estonian airspace on Sept. 19 as Moscow continues its provocations.
"This is a significant escalation to European security, for which Russia clearly bears responsibility. I must say that this is just the latest example of Russia's actions, which have long been behaving in this manner," Pavel said.
Pavel noted that in the past, Turkey shot down a Russian jet in response to repeated violations of its airspace by Moscow.
"We are now witnessing the same thing: Russia is not only waging an aggressive war against a sovereign state, but is also provoking NATO countries in an unprecedented manner, seeking not only to provoke a response that it can then use for its own interests, but also to test our resolve and ability to defend ourselves," he said.
Pavel condemned Russia's airspace violations and called for decisive action so that Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin "will behave the way we allow them to," adding that if Europe only responds "verbally," provocations will continue.
"This is completely irresponsible behavior, since violating airspace is a pretext for activating defense mechanisms, namely, shooting down such an aircraft. And, of course, no one on our side or the Russian side would want that," he said.
Leaders across Europe condemned Russia's several violations of NATO and EU airspace in September.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sept. 19 said, "We will respond to every provocation with determination while investing in a stronger Eastern flank. As threats escalate, so too will our pressure. I call on EU leaders to swiftly approve our 19th sanctions package."
The Sept. 19 violation occurred over the Gulf of Finland, where Russian jets crossed into Estonian territory without permission before departing, the Estonian Defense Forces confirmed.
In response to the Russian escalation, the Baltic nation has requested NATO Article 4 consultations. The measure allows member states to hold discussions with allies if their security is threatened.