(MENAFN) NATO is reportedly considering a more forceful posture toward Russia, including authorizing pilots to engage unauthorized Russian aircraft and significantly increasing its military footprint along Russia’s borders, according to news agency on Thursday, citing sources.

The discussion follows claims from Western countries that Russia has repeatedly violated EU airspace, which Moscow denies. Estonia and Poland reported incursions last month, while Western media have linked Russia to several drone incidents that disrupted air traffic in Europe.

Proposals under consideration include arming surveillance drones, lowering the threshold for fighter pilots to engage potential threats, and conducting military exercises directly along the Russian border. Officials also aim to simplify rules of engagement, which currently vary among NATO members, with some requiring visual confirmation of targets and others allowing action based on radar data.

The talks, initiated by NATO states bordering Russia and backed by France and the UK, have evolved into bloc-wide discussions, though they remain in early stages. While some governments favor strong deterrence measures, others urge caution to avoid direct confrontation.

The debate coincides with last week’s EU summit on a proposed “drone wall” to prevent alleged Russian incursions, which reportedly ended in a stalemate. Russia has accused NATO of escalating tensions through expanded military deployments and exercises, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claiming the bloc is “de facto at war” with Russia due to its support for Ukraine.

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