For three and a half years, the world has witnessed a permanent member of this Council engaged in the full-scale, and unprovoked invasion of another state, a violation of its most basic obligations under the UN Charter.
As President Trump and President Zelenskyy have worked for peace, the Russian Federation has starkly escalated its attacks.
Attacks on the Council of Ministers, on the British Council building and repeated attacks on residential flats and homes as children sleep in their beds.
We meet today now, at the request of Estonian allies, because Russia’s recklessness is escalating.
In the last two weeks alone, over 20 Russian drones in Polish airspace, a drone through Romanian territory and now three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets, with their transponders turned off, violating Estonian airspace for 12 minutes.
At best, these latest acts are at best dangerous and reckless.
At worst, they are a deliberate attempt to undermine the territorial integrity of sovereign nations and European security.
They risk miscalculation.
They open the door to direct armed confrontation between NATO and Russia.
NATO’s combined strength is unparalleled and its determination to defend peace and security in Europe is unshakable.
Of this, Russia must be in no doubt.
I commend the resolute and firm response of Estonia, Poland and Romania, and all NATO Allies.
I welcome the launch of Eastern Sentry on 12 September to ensure the safety and security of the Alliance’s Eastern border. I am proud that UK aircraft are taking part.
To those nations, and all NATO Allies, I say the United Kingdom stands in full solidarity with you at this time, and always.
To President Putin, I say your reckless actions risk a direct armed confrontation between NATO and Russia. Our Alliance is defensive.
Be under no illusion.
We stand ready to take all steps necessary to defend NATO’s skies and NATO’s territory.
We are vigilant.
We are resolute.
And if we need to confront planes that are operating in NATO airspace without permission then we will do so.
The United Kingdom stands by our friends.
We are unwavering in our support for the principles of the UN Charter, for our NATO Allies and for Ukraine.
We are committed to increasing the pressure on Russia until it ends its illegal war against Ukraine, ceases its reckless acts, and respects the sovereignty of other states.
Russia’s imperialist warmongering is a threat to international peace and security.
It is a threat to the values and principles that underpin this organisation.
This organisation that has done so much to support stability and prosperity these past 80 years.
We must counter it, for the sake of us all.
