Tensions on NATO’s eastern flank are inching closer to a breaking point after Romania confirmed that a Russian drone entered its airspace on Saturday, forcing the country to scramble two F-16 fighter jets.
The incident — which comes just days after nearly 20 Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace — marks a dangerous escalation of the war in Ukraine and raises urgent questions about whether NATO is prepared to respond if the conflict spills further into its territory.
Romania’s Defence Ministry said the drone crossed over during a barrage of Russian strikes on southern Ukraine and was tracked until it vanished from radar near the border village of Chilia Veche. Poland, too, went on high alert, mobilizing aircraft, helicopters, and air defence systems in response to similar cross-border threats.
Although the alert was lifted later in the day, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk made it clear that his country remains on edge. “We remain vigilant,” he warned, signaling that Warsaw will not hesitate to act if such incursions continue.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of deliberately widening the conflict and called on the West to match words with action. “Do not wait for dozens of Shaheds and ballistic missiles before finally making decisions,” he urged, referring to the Iranian-designed drones now central to Russia’s strategy.
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump repeated his stance that major sanctions on Moscow would only come once NATO nations collectively stop buying Russian oil — a move critics say gives Russia more time to operate with impunity. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that deliberate Russian drone strikes on NATO territory would be “highly escalatory,” potentially forcing the alliance’s hand.
Meanwhile, Ukraine struck back, targeting one of Russia’s largest oil refineries more than 1,400 kilometres from the front lines — a reminder that Kyiv is capable of hitting deep into Russian territory in its bid to choke off the Kremlin’s war chest.
These latest provocations highlight a growing dilemma for NATO: how far can Russia push before the alliance responds militarily? Every drone that crosses into NATO airspace risks turning a regional war into a direct confrontation between Moscow and the West — a scenario with potentially catastrophic consequences.
The message from Eastern Europe is clear: the time for half-measures may be over. NATO’s credibility as a collective defence alliance may soon face its most serious test since the Cold War.
