Debate over Ukraine no-fly zone heats up

 A growing number of U.S. lawmakers and officials in Ukraine are pleading for the Biden administration and its allies to establish a no-fly zone over Ukrainian airspace to help ward off Russian attacks. 

Volodymyr Zelensky , Russia-Ukraine , Vladimir Putin , Biden
Russia-Ukraine Crisis

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials have said that a no-fly zone is a key request they have of allies since the Russian invasion began in earnest roughly two weeks ago. Proponents believe a no-fly zone would cut off Russian air support, blunt the advance of Russian troops toward Kyiv and save the lives of innocent Ukrainians. 

But Biden administration officials have been consistent and clear that a no-fly zone is off the table, citing the potential for dangerous ripple effects. 

“The reason why that has not been a step the president has been willing to take or we have been interested in taking is because a no-fly zone requires implementation,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Thursday. “It would require, essentially, the U.S. military shooting down Russian planes and prompting a potential direct war with Russia, the exact step that we want to avoid.” 

Biden have also pointed to the military equipment and “defensive assistance” they’ve given Ukraine to arm them against Russia.  

But calls for a no-fly zone have only grown in the wake of a Thursday attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility in Ukraine. 

“This is a good moment to renew my call for a no fly zone, at the invitation of the Ukraine government. I fear if this continues, we will have to intervene in a bigger way,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), a pilot in the Air National Guard, tweeted after the attack on the nuclear plant. 

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told HuffPost this week a no-fly zone should be “seriously considered.” 

No-fly zones are used to prohibit enemy aircraft from flying in a certain region and carrying out attacks on populations. 

Location: Ukraine

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Russia-Ukraine live news: Moscow’s forces strike major fuel depot

Image
  Report of strike on facility near Kyiv comes as Biden readies to visit Poland, thousands evacuated from Boryspil. Ukrainian forces have now been battling against Russia's offensive for more than a month  Russia says its forces have destroyed a major military fuel depot near Kyiv. The United States and European Union have announced a  new deal  aimed at curbing Europe’s reliance on Russian gas. US President Joe Biden is readying to visit the Polish-Ukrainian border as he concludes his diplomatic trip to Europe. Ukraine’s northern city of Chernihiv has been cut off by Russian troops, according to local authorities.
Read more

Russia inflames political war over gas prices, oil drilling

Image
GOP lawmakers are using rising gasoline prices and Russia's invasion of Ukraine to attack President Biden’s energy policies, arguing that the administration has failed to improve U.S. energy independence. Experts say many of their claims are misleading, noting that administration actions have had little impact at the pump and don’t have much bearing on the conflict abroad.   Nevertheless, the Republicans’ rhetoric is a likely preview of their midterm argument: that electing Republicans will lead to better U.S. energy policies and lower prices.  U.S. President Joe Biden In recent days, Republicans have gone on the attack — flaming Biden over his decision to nix the Keystone XL pipeline and pause or delay oil and gas leasing.   Those joining in on the criticism include House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and James Lankford (R-Okla.), who have particularly discussed Biden’s move to nix a border crossing permit for the pipel...
Read more

Service to Erdogan Horns of the Qatari regime distort the Kurds

Image
In the framework of the policies adopted by the regime of Recep Erdogan against the Kurds, and in continuation of the scheme of distortion practiced against the Kurds of Syria, the regime of Tamim bin Hamad facilitates the Turkish mission, by directing his orders to the media, to spread false news about the Kurds of Syria. This malicious policy, in which Tamim bin Hamad tries to support the ruler of Ankara, is part of a plan to pave the ground for striking the Kurds of Syria and launching air strikes against them, without any media shed on these raids, or to show the matter as if it was retaliation against The Kurds. The plan is a natural reflection of Recep Erdogan's policies that undermine nationalism and spread racist policies, while trying to change the demographic equation, especially as the Kurds rejected Erdogan's sabotage project in Syria. The refusal of the Kurds to i mplement Erdogan's wishes, and their support for the independence and sovereignty of the Syrian ...
Read more