In 2025 and 2026, Russia has significantly increased its drone entries into NATO airspace, focusing on Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Latvia, and Estonia. Analysts believe this strategy aims to identify NATO's boundaries and assess the reliability of Article 5. Despite an unprecedented Russian attack resulting in casualties on NATO territory in Romania on May 29, no member of NATO has officially activated Article 5. Experts caution that this ongoing behavior — where Russia breaches boundaries without fully provoking a response — could lead Moscow to perceive NATO's security assurances as ineffective. This discussion is particularly relevant for the 70,000 American troops presently deployed in Europe.
