Waltz promises US will defend 'every inch' of NATO territory after Russian jets flew into Estonia

New U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz warned Monday the U.S. and its allies will defend "every inch" of NATO territory after Russian fighter jets violated Estonian airspace.

"The United States stands by our NATO allies in the face of these airspace violations, and I want to take this first opportunity to repeat and to emphasize the United States and our allies will defend every inch of NATO territory," Waltz said during opening remarks of the United Nations General Assembly high-level week. "Russia must urgently stop dangerous behavior."

The warning marked one of Waltz's first public statements since winning Senate confirmation Friday. It came days after three Russian MiG-31 jets flew deep into Estonian airspace - the closest such incursion to the Baltic nation's Parliament building in years - raising fears Moscow is testing NATO's resolve.

Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna revealed Monday morning that the jets were armed. The jets were in Estonian airspace for 12 minutes.

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Tsahkna noted that Russia remains a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council even as it continues its war on Ukraine and now pushes into NATO territory.

Article 5 of the NATO treaty states that an armed attack against one or more NATO members in Europe or North America is considered an attack against them all. In practice, this means that if any member nation is attacked, the others are committed to take action.

Waltz, a former House member from Florida, served as President Donald Trump's national security advisor until May. His confirmation to the U.N. was held up in the Senate until last week, when a 47-43 vote confirmed him as U.S. permanent representative to the U.N. Security Council.

A separate vote to confirm him as U.S. representative to the General Assembly did not come up - it's unclear whether that will have any effect on his participation at UNGA. 

The Estonia incursion followed an incident where at least 19 Russian drones entered Poland's airspace just one week after Polish President Karol Nawrocki met with President Donald Trump at the White House. Last week, Romania reported a Shahed drone of Russian origin was found in its territory. 

Russia called reports of the incursions "groundless accusations." 

"There is no proof except the Russophobic hysteria coming from Tallinn," said Dmitry Polyansky, Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the U.N., referring to Estonia's capital. 

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"There was a time when Europe was associated with the renaissance, enlightenment cutting edge of philosophy, culture and science. Yet today unfortunately all of that is gone and it's gone for good," the representative went on.

Polyansky claimed the "only ideology" of European states is "primitive hatred" for Russia. 

"Any events are immediately interpreted through an anti-Russian prism," he said. "The idea that war with Russia is unavoidable is being frantically pounded into the heads of the European populace."

On Monday, the U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting on the jet incursions into Estonia at Tallinn's request. 

"Russia's reckless actions represent not only a breach of international law, but also a destabilizing escalation that brings the entire region closer to conflict than at any time in recent years," Tsahkna said. 

"Such a provocation is profoundly disrespectful towards the collective and tireless efforts of the international community to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and to restore peace and stability in accordance with international law."