BRITAIN is “ready to act” after Donald Trump told Nato to shoot down Russian planes if they breach European airspace, Yvette Cooper has warned.
The Foreign Secretary slammed Moscow for its “provocative and reckless” violations into Nato airspace in recent weeks during a speech to the UN.
ReutersForeign Secretary Yvette Cooper addresses members of the UN Security Council[/caption]
GettyUkrainian soldier loads a shell while defending Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast[/caption]
ReutersOne of the Russian MiG-31 fighter jets that flew into Estonian airspace[/caption]
Ms Cooper told the UN on Tuesday: “Ukraine’s security is our security, and all of us depend on upholding the UN Charter.
“Russia’s actions seek to undermine democracy, secure conflict and spread instability far beyond Europe’s borders.
“In recent weeks, we’ve seen provocative and reckless violations of Nato airspace in Estonia, Poland and Romania, against which Nato stands firm, and we will be ready to act.”
She directly addressed Putin – warning his “reckless actions risk a direct armed confrontation between Nato and Russia”.
Ms Cooper added: “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.”
It comes after Trump told Nato countries to “shoot down” invading Russian aircraft – saying member states “shouldn’t hesitate” in the face of incursions.
When asked if Washington would back them militarily, he was non-committal.
“That depends on the circumstance,” Trump said.
The tough words follow a dramatic incursion into Estonian airspace by two Russian MiG-31 fighters.
The jets brazenly tore into Estonian skies for 12 minutes – brushing off warnings from Italian F-35s scrambled to intercept them from Amari Air Base on Friday.
It marked the fourth incident this year and sparked calls for urgent Nato talks.
Estonia branded the flyover “unprecedentedly brazen”.
And PM Kristen Michal fumed that “such a violation is completely unacceptable”.
In a statement, Nato condemned the incursion – describing it as “part of a wider pattern of increasingly irresponsible Russian behaviour”.
Nato warned: “Russia should be in no doubt: Nato and allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions.”
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
Yvette Cooper
During the UN talks, Trump also appeared to change his tone on Ukraine – backing the war-torn nation to take all its land back from Vladimir Putin.
The president doubled down in a Truth Social post – calling Moscow a “paper tiger” and backing Ukraine to reclaim its land in full.
He also admitted his relationship with the Russian leader “didn’t mean anything” after talks with Zelensky at the UN.
In a fiery post, Trump wrote: “I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.
“Ukraine would be able to take back their Country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that!”
At a press conference after a bilateral meeting, Zelensky revealed Trump would give Ukraine security guarantees once the war ends.
Zelensky said Trump’s latest statement on the Ukraine war is a “big shift” from his earlier stance that Kyiv would have to give up territory for peace.
Trump has repeatedly argued that Ukraine would likely have to cede some land to end the war.
EPATrump and Zelensky meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York[/caption]
APDonald Trump addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly[/caption]
A Russian MIG-31 fighter jet flying above the Baltic sea
In interviews and campaign stops, he said he could broker a peace deal within 24 hours by sitting down with Putin and Zelensky.
He also suggested that Kyiv “give up some territory” in exchange for ending the bloodshed.
In Tuesday’s post, Trump said Russia’s failure to crush Ukraine after more than three years of war made Moscow look like a “paper tiger”.
“With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, Nato, the original Borders from where this War started is very much an option,” he wrote.
Responding to Trump, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia was a bear, not a tiger, and “there is no such thing as a paper bear”.
Peskov claimed that Russian army was advancing in Ukraine and the “dynamics on the front line were obvious”.
Overnight, one of Russia’s largest petrochemical plants was attacked by Ukrainian drones – the second such attack in days.
Ukraine has ramped up its drone attacks on Russia’s vast oil and gas depots in a bid to stall Putin’s war machine as peace talks with Moscow have ground to a halt.
With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, Nato, the original Borders from where this War started is very much an option
Donald Trump
Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening, Boris Johnson urged Britain to put troops into Ukraine now – with or without a ceasefire.
He said only Ukraine had the right to decide which troops are welcome on its soil – not Moscow.
Britain and France have rallied allies in a coalition of the willing to deploy a “reassurance force” in the event of a ceasefire with Russia.
The former PM demanded: “If they are really willing, why don’t we send them there now? Ukrainians must decide which foreign troops come to their soil.”
He urged allies to abolish restrictions on what weapons they give Ukraine.
Speaking at the opening of the Indomitable Ukraine exhibition in London he blasted Germany for not giving Kyiv its Taurus stealth cruise missiles.
And he attacked the Labour government for buying Russian uranium.
He said: “Why aren’t we sending them the Taurus missile? Why are we still buying Uranium from Russia?
“Why is there 300 billion of Putin’s frozen assets in Brussels and one of the foreign ministers in the world seem to be able touch unlock it?”
PABoris said troops should be deployed to Ukraine ‘with or without a ceasefire’[/caption]
APPutin pictured during a meeting at the Kremlin on Tuesday[/caption]