Speaking at an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council, Cooper issued a direct warning to Vladimir Putin, Russia’s President, saying that he risked “direct armed confrontation between Nato and Russia”.
“These latest acts are dangerous and reckless at worst,” the Foreign Secretary said.
“They are a deliberate attempt to undermine the territorial integrity of sovereign nations and European security.
“Our alliance is defensive … we stand ready to take all steps necessary to defend Nato’s skies and Nato territory,” she added.
“And if we need to confront planes that are operating in Nato airspace without permission, then we will do so.”
The special session was called by Estonia after three Russian MiG-31 jets entered its airspace for 12 minutes last week without permission.
Nato scrambled fighter jets to escort the Russian aircraft out of its territory without incident.
The alert level has been raised on the eastern border since 21 Russian drones crossed into Poland during a bombardment of neighbouring Ukraine.
Mark Rutte, Nato’s secretary-general, announced the launch of Eastern Sentry, which has led to at least five countries flying extra air-policing missions in the region.
Discussing the mission today Tusk said: “I want to be very clear. We will make a decision to shoot down flying objects without discussion when they violate our territory and fly over Poland. There is no room for debate here.”
The Polish Prime Minister urged other Nato allies to give him “100 per cent certainty” that their forces would do the same.
But he warned: “You need to think twice before deciding on actions that could trigger a very acute phase of the conflict.”
Nato will hold Article 4 consultations on the latest Estonian incursion by Russia in Brussels tomorrow.
Calls have been growing among the alliance’s eastern and central member states for a harder stance on Moscow’s violations of its airspace.
On Sunday, Dovile Sakaliene, Lithuania’s Defence Minister, said “Turkey set an example”, referring to the downing of a Russian jet near its border with Syria in 2015.
Petr Pavel, the Czech President, who is a former fighter jet pilot himself, said yesterday that Nato would have to consider shooting down Russian aircraft in response to the violations.
“Russia will realise very quickly that they have made a mistake and crossed the acceptable boundaries. Unfortunately, this is teetering on the edge of conflict, but giving in to evil is simply not an option,” he told Czech media.
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