Joint statement delivered by H.E. Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, ahead of the UNSC emergency meeting on threats to international peace and security

I would like to read out a statement on behalf of the governments of Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Fiji, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, The Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, The Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, The United Kingdom, The United States of America, as well as the European Union and my own government, Estonia.

On 19 September 2025, three armed Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated Estonian airspace. They remained in NATO skies for 12 minutes, penetrating deep into Estonian airspace and covering nearly 100 kilometres inside Estonian sovereign territory. This is a dangerous escalation – it was the fourth violation of Estonia’s airspace by Russia this year. Three armed aircraft simultaneously entered Estonian airspace and were moments away from Tallinn, a NATO and EU capital.

We are here today because this incident concerns not only Estonia, but the entire international community. This outrageous violation of the territorial integrity of Estonia was preceded by Russian drones violating the airspaces of Poland and Romania a short while ago. It is part of a wider pattern of Russian provocations against its neighbours, while a Permanent Member of the Security Council continues its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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. Such a provocation is profoundly disrespectful toward 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.

Therefore, Estonia has decided to request the convening of an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. We thank the Republic of Korea, presiding over the Council, for swiftly convening the meeting.

We also use this occasion to yet again call on the Russian Federation to cease, without delay, its war of aggression against Ukraine and to abide by the obligations enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. We call Russia to end all provocations and threats against its neighbours’ sovereignty and territorial integrity. The international community must stand firm in demanding adherence to the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful settlement of disputes.

We should always call out such outrageous actions by any member of UN and even more so by a Permanent Member of the Security Council, entrusted with the special responsibility to safeguard international peace and security.

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