Russian Ambassador Threatens WWIII If NATO Shoots Down Russian Planes Violating Airspace

Russian Ambassador to France, Alexey Meshkov, made a big statement in his latest interview.

Meshkov, while being interviewed this week, responded to President Trump’s recent remarks that NATO countries must shoot down Russian airplanes that violate allied airspace.

The Russian ambassador to France stated that if a NATO country shoots down a Russian plane that violates NATO airspace, then it would result in “war”.

The Kyiv Independent reported more on Meshkov’s remarks:

NATO potentially shooting down a Russian plane in allied airspace “would be war,” Russian Ambassador to France, Alexey Meshkov, said in an interview with the RTL news channel published on Sept. 25.

The comments come amid surging tensions between Moscow and NATO as the allies accused Russia of multiple airspace violations in recent weeks.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft violating their airspace, a statement welcomed by many eastern members.

When asked what Russia’s reaction would be in such a case, Meshkov replied that downing a Russian plane would amount to war.

“You know, there are many NATO planes that violate Russian airspace, deliberately or not, but it happens quite often. They are not shot down afterward,” the ambassador claimed, without providing an example.

Poland’s air defenses downed at least three Russian drones in its airspace on Sept. 10, while another unmanned aircraft was recorded flying over Romania for almost an hour a few days later. On Sept. 19, Estonia said that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated its airspace for 12 minutes.

Meshkov denied the accusations, echoing previous statements from the Kremlin. Moscow has also refuted any connection to suspicious drone sightings in Denmark and Norway earlier this week.

🇷🇺 "If NATO shoots down a Russian plane, it will be war."
— Aleksey Meshkov, Russian Ambassador to France pic.twitter.com/ipJCpuzB85

— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) September 25, 2025

Here were President Trump’s remarks regarding Russia violating NATO airspace:

REPORTER: "Do you think that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace?"

TRUMP: "Yes, I do." pic.twitter.com/QR2iQ6w7fW

— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 23, 2025

Yahoo reported more on Trump’s latest remarks on Russia:

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he would like to see NATO fighter jets shoot down Russian aircraft violating NATO member airspace.

“I do want to play something he just said to reporters as he was meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky,” said MSNBC anchor Katy Tur.

“Do you think that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace?” asked a reporter in the clip Tur rolled.

“Yes, I do,” Trump replied.

“That was quick. Help me understand the president’s position right now on Russia,” Tur then asked NBC White House correspondent Vaughn Hillyard.

“But it’s a heck of a statement coming from this president of the United States. In the situation where Article 5 were to be invoked by NATO allies, there is a question of whether the United States under this Trump administration would be committed to defending countries that could face incursions from Russia.