'These are not mistakes': Russian drone strike in Romania shows why UK must urgently rearm
Keir Starmer warns Russian aggression is a threat to the ‘security of our entire continent’
It’s possible that the Russian drone which injured two people in Romania had gone astray. However, with previous incursions into the airspaces of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland, it is also possible that this was a deliberate attack by Vladimir Putin’s forces, designed to test Nato’s ability – and willingness – to defend itself.
The situation seemed clear enough to Michał Baranowski, a Polish minister. “These are not mistakes. These are provocations,” he told Euronews. “... It is difficult to overstate the scale of this escalation.”
The Kremlin offered little reassurance. Instead of expressing concern that one of their weapons might have inadvertently strayed over the border, Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: “All the accusations we hear, particularly about drones somewhere in the European Union countries, are all unsubstantiated; not a single fact, material, or evidence has been presented.”
But then, this is a regime that regularly sends drones to hit residential areas in Ukraine, so injuring two more civilians, even in a different country, may hardly register.
Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s response that the alliance “stands ready to defend every inch of Allied territory” was thankfully repeated by the US ambassador to Nato, Matt Whitaker. Given Donald Trump’s closeness to Putin and his repeated criticisms of Nato, we can only hope Whitaker’s remarks reflected his president’s reaction.
Nato keeps the peace because of its strength. By casting doubt on America’s commitment to collective self-defence, Trump has been increasing the chances of the war spreading further beyond Ukraine in a way that could draw in the UK.
Condemning the “serious violation of Nato airspace,” Keir Starmer warned: “Russia's aggression against Ukraine and attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure threatens the security of our entire continent... Time and again, Russia has shown it has no regard for civilian life, for international law, or for the sovereignty of its neighbours.”
He is absolutely right. However, the burning question is whether his government is acting decisively enough to increase the Armed Forces’ capabilities in order to meet that threat. War may seem far away today but history shows how quickly conflicts can escalate. The UK must rearm.
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