The US Says No to a No-Fly Zone over Ukraine

A no-fly zone would require the presence of US armed forces, which is fraught with a potential clash with Russia, which is already waging war with Ukraine, the White House explained. The US authorities reject the idea of imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine in light of Russia’s military invasion of the neighboring country. The President of the United States, Joseph Biden, “made it clear that he is not going to send US troops to war with Russia,” White House press Secretary Jennifer Psaki said on Monday, February 28. A no-fly zone would be a step in that direction, Psaki added. To ensure it, the deployment of American armed forces will be required, which will mean “a potentially direct conflict and a potential war with Russia, which is not something we want to do,” she explained. The Pentagon also ruled out a no-fly zone over Ukraine The official representative of the US Department of Defense, John Kirby, also unequivocally rejected the possible creation of a no-fly zone over Ukraine. The airspace over this country currently borders directly on NATO territory, so Washington is studying appropriate coordination measures to avoid incidents or accidents. The US has not yet made concrete decisions, Kirby added. Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine is accompanied by regular shelling of Ukrainian settlements, including rockets. Official Kiev blames the Russian side for this. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky a few days earlier urged to impose a no-fly zone over his country. DW