NATO Defends Eastern Flank Amid Rising Tensions with Russia

NATO fighter jets from Germany and Romania scrambled on November 25, 2025, in response to a drone incursion into Romanian airspace. The drones entered the country during daylight, reaching over 100 km inside the territory. No damage occurred, but authorities issued temporary shelter alerts in affected regions. The incident was characterized as a ’new Russian provocation’ by the Romanian government. This is part of a pattern of drone intrusions and debris falls near NATO territory during major Russian strikes on Ukraine. The Romanian Ministry of National Defense initially dispatched two German Eurofighter jets on air-policing duty, followed by two Romanian F-16s after radar tracked a second drone moving deeper into the country. The US Army Europe & Africa Commander announced that a new drone-defeat capability is set for deployment in Romania. This development may signal a growing concern about aerial threats from Russia, particularly in the region.