France, on Friday, called Russian warplane incursions into Estonia a blatant violation of international law.“This incursion into Estonia is unprecedented for more than 20 years,” the French foreign ministry said in a statement.The UK also expressed similar sentiments and called the incursion of Russian military jets into NATO member Estonia’s airspace ‘the latest dangerous activity by Russia.’“Russia’s latest reckless and dangerous activity is the third violation of NATO airspace in recent days,” British defence minister John Healey said on X. “But Putin’s aggression only serves to strengthen the unity of NATO and our resolve to stand with Ukraine.”Russian incursion into Estonian airspaceRussia’s latest move, which saw three MIG-31 fighter jets entering Estonian airspace for 12 minutes, has rattled European governments. Italian F-35 fighter jets. (Photo: Reuters/ File)Though Italian F-35 fighter jets, currently deployed as part of the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission, responded to the incident quickly, Estonia summoned a Russian diplomat to protest the unprecedentedly brazen violation, the Foreign Ministry said.‘Not an accident’The Russian MIG-31 fighters entered Estonian airspace in the area of Vaindloo Island, a small island located in the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea, the Estonian military said. The aircraft did not have flight plans and their transponders were turned off, the statement said, nor were the aircraft in two-way radio communication with Estonian air traffic services.Story continues below this adMaj. Taavi Karotamm, spokesperson for the Estonian Defense Forces, told The Associated Press the Russian planes flew parallel to the Estonian border from east to west and did not head toward the capital, Tallinn. Karotamm said the reason for the border violation is unknown, but added that it may have been to “shift the focus of NATO and its members on to defending itself, rather than bolstering Ukrainian defense.“Estonia invokes Article 4Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur also said that the government had decided “to start consultations among the allies” according to NATO’s Article 4 of the Washington Treaty.NATO spokesperson Allison Hart, who described the incident as “another example of reckless Russian behavior and NATO’s ability to respond,” said that the North Atlantic Council will convene early next week to discuss the incident in more detail.Increasing Russian adventurism in NATO skiesNATO fighter jets scramble hundreds of times in most years to intercept aircraft, many of them Russian warplanes in northwest Europe flying too close to the airspace of its member countries, but it’s rarer for planes to cross the boundary. Dozens of NATO jets are on round-the-clock alert across Europe to respond to incidents such as unannounced military flights or civilian planes losing communication with air traffic controllers.Story continues below this ad NATO military exercise in Greenland. (Photo: Reuters)Estonia is the third NATO member country to face a Russian airspace incursion in recent days.Russia’s violation of Poland’s airspace was the most serious cross-border incident into a NATO member country since the war in Ukraine began with Russia’s all-out invasion in February 2022. Poland, too, had invoked Article 4 after nearly two dozen Russian drones entered its airspace last week. Other alliance countries, including Romania, have reported similar incursions and drone crashes on their territory.Can NATO face Russia together?With the war in Ukraine in its third year and US President Donald Trump’s open disdain for NATO, European nations are becoming increasingly concerned about Russia testing the limits of their resolve.“Russia escalates, we do nothing, Russia escalates more, we do nothing, Russia escalates even more, we do nothing… guys, I think I am starting to see a pattern here,” Former Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis was quoted as saying by The Guardian.Story continues below this adEU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on European nations to stand together and face Russia.“On our side, we see that we must show no weakness because weakness is something that invites Russia to do more,” she said. “They are increasingly more dangerous — not only to Ukraine, but also to all the countries around Russia.”Putin doesn’t want Ukraine war to endEarlier Friday, the head of Britain’s foreign intelligence agency said there is “absolutely no evidence” that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin wants to negotiate peace in Ukraine. Richard Moore, chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, said Putin was “stringing us along.”“He seeks to impose his imperial will by all means at his disposal. But he cannot succeed,” Moore said. “Bluntly, Putin has bitten off more than he can chew. He thought he was going to win an easy victory. But he — and many others — underestimated the Ukrainians.”