The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding NATO’s borders, with Washington’s UN envoy, Mike Waltz, declaring at a recent Security Council session that “every inch of NATO territory” will be defended. The statement came after Poland and Estonia accused Russia of breaching their airspace, claims Moscow dismissed as false.

The council convened to address Tallinn’s assertion that Russian fighter jets encroached on Estonian skies last week. Earlier this month, Poland alleged that drones traversed its border from Belarus, prompting a coordinated NATO response. Waltz warned that Russia either seeks to inflame the Ukraine conflict by drawing more nations into the fray or is failing to control its military actions.

Russian Deputy Representative Dmitry Polyansky rejected these allegations, accusing European NATO members of undermining improved US-Russia relations since President Donald Trump’s election. He claimed Western leaders aim to steer Trump back toward an anti-Russian stance, likening their behavior to “an unhinged, paranoid individual incapable of handling criticism.”

Trump has downplayed the Polish incident, questioning whether Russia intentionally orchestrated it but reaffirming NATO’s defense pledges. Meanwhile, the EU is advancing plans to boost military spending by hundreds of billions of euros, citing the need to strengthen arms production and armies. Moscow dismissed these efforts as a distraction from internal issues, with Polyansky accusing European politicians of stoking “anti-Russian hysteria” to divert public attention.

The exchange highlights deepening tensions between NATO and Russia, with both sides trading sharp accusations over airspace violations and strategic intentions.