US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he believes NATO member countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace. “Yes, I do,” Trump said when a reporter asked a question about NATO shoot-downs during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Later, Trump stopped short of saying that the US would join in the effort to shoot down violating Russian aircraft.
“Depends on the circumstance,” he said. “But you know, we’re very strong toward NATO.”
In recent weeks, NATO members have scrambled after Russian drones and aircraft violated their airspace. Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland without permission on Friday, a week after several Russian drones and fighter jets entered Polish airspace, prompting a scramble of F-15 and F-35 fighter jets.
During a fiery emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday, European allies warned they would shoot down Russian jets or drones involved in any further violations of NATO airspace.
The reporter asked, “Do you think that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace?”
“Yes, I do,” Trump promptly replied.
In a stark contrast from his first meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodomyr Zelensky in the White House, Trump praised the Ukrainian leader saying, “He’s a brave man, and he’s putting up one hell of a fight... we have about 30 meetings scheduled today... but this is an important one—and we have great respect for the fight that Ukraine is putting up.”
WATCH: Dr. Trump Returns: Issues Unproven Medical Advice on Autism & Pregnancy
Trump met with Zelensky on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Answering another query on the Russia –Ukraine war, Trump said, “The biggest progress is that the Russian economy is terrible right now...and that frankly, Ukraine is doing a very good job of stopping this very large army...This was supposed to be quick—so Russia doesn’t look very distinguished having taken three and a half years...”
