NATO mum in wake of Russia downing US drone; 'time to show steely resolve' says expert

Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker says the Russian fighter jet collision was'intentional' and requires a'firm response' from the U.S. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has yet to comment publicly on the downing of a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone by two Russian SU-27 fighter jets this week, in what one NATO expert says may be an "overabundance of caution." "There should be broad condemnation of Russia's attack on the U.S. drone by all NATO Allies," Marshall Billingslea, a former deputy undersecretary of the Navy and assistant secretary general for defense investment at NATO, who is now serving as a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, told Fox News Digital. "Many, especially those allies on the eastern front, have experience with Russian pilots engaging in aggressive and unprofessional actions." NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during the annual Society and Defence Conference in Salen, Sweden, on Jan. 8, 2023. The U.S. has accused Russia of purposefully harassing and then striking down the $32 million drone used for intelligence collecting.