Nato member states must avoid "direct clashes" with Russia, Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Wednesday after an incident in the Black Sea involving a US spy drone and a Russian fighter jet.
"We must avoid direct confrontation, even if isolated, between Nato countries and the Russian Federation. The war in Ukraine is another matter but we must do our utmost to prevent direct clashes - even isolated ones," Tajani told told SkyTg24.
"These could make the situation worse," he said.
The large MQ-9 Reaper drone plunged into the Black Sea on Tuesday. The US said it downed the damaged drone after it became unflyable when a Russia jet clipped its propeller - claims denied by Moscow.
"The risk in a moment of great tension between the West and Russia is that due to human error, due to the aggressiveness of an individual, there could be an accident that causes an escalation," Tajani said.
"This is why great prudence is needed on the part of those who are engaged at Nato and Europe's borders but also great caution towards Westerners on the part of Russian pilots and Russian soldiers."
