New York [USA], September 24 : US President Donald Trump expressed his support for NATO countries shooting down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
When asked, "Do you think NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace?", Trump replied firmly, "Yes, I do." On being questioned about his current trust in Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said, "I'll let you know in about a month."
The brief exchange took place during Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy, highlighting the escalating geopolitical tensions.
Following the meeting, Zelenskyy described his interaction with the US President as positive. Replying to ANI, he said, "It went well."
Earlier, Zelenskyy announced his plans on Saturday as Russia escalated its attacks on Ukraine, coinciding with fresh concerns across Europe's eastern flank over possible spillover effects of the ongoing war. "We now expect strong sanctions steps from the United States as well - Europe is doing its part," Zelenskyy posted on X on Saturday.
Trump had already signalled the previous week that he was ready to introduce "major sanctions" on Moscow, but had tied the move to NATO allies agreeing collectively to end oil purchases from Russia. Despite Trump's attempts to push for a ceasefire, Moscow had so far evaded such pressure.
The Ukrainian leader was also expected to raise the issue of long-term security guarantees to shield his country from future Russian aggression after any truce. Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, had cautioned that he would not tolerate Western troops being stationed in Ukraine.
Al Jazeera reported that Moscow had launched one of its largest overnight assaults in recent months, unleashing 40 missiles and around 580 drones, which killed at least three people and left dozens injured.
NATO allies responded by boosting defences along Europe's eastern borders. Poland's military said on Saturday that Polish and allied jets had been scrambled in a "preventative operation" after Russian strikes hit areas near the Polish frontier. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom confirmed that its fighter aircraft had carried out their first NATO mission under Eastern Sentry, patrolling Polish skies against possible Russian aerial threats.
Tensions had also risen after three Russian fighter jets reportedly entered Estonian airspace on Friday. Russia's Ministry of Defence denied the incident, but Estonian authorities said the 12-minute breach had been verified through both radar and visual confirmation. Colonel Ants Kiviselg, head of Estonia's Military Intelligence Centre, said it still "needed to be confirmed" whether the violation had been intentional.
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