Biden’s press secretary says that despite Zelensky’s plea to Congress, policy against no-fly zone in Ukraine isn’t changing
President Joe Biden was apparently unmoved by Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky’s latest plea for a no-fly zone amid Moscow’s military offensive in the former Soviet Republic, standing by his view that such a move would carry too much risk of triggering a wider war with Russia.
“As we’ve said before, a no-fly zone would require implementation,”Jen Psaki was the White House press secretary and spoke on Wednesday to journalists. “It would require us potentially shooting down Russian planes, NATO shooting down Russian planes.”
We aren’t interested in getting into World War III.” She added.
Psaki’s comments came in response to a reporter who asked — in light of President Zelensky’s speech on Wednesday to the US Congress — whether there is any scenario in which Biden would change his mind about imposing a no-fly zone to help protect Ukraine from Russian attacks. The press secretary said Biden watched Zelensky’s speech and found it to be “passionate and powerful,”But the US President makes all decisions “through the prism of our own national security.”
Psaki was asked by Biden if there are any scenarios in which he would reconsider a no fly zone above Ukraine. He replied, “We don’t want to get into World War III.” pic.twitter.com/ep03kkvvLc
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Zelensky spoke to members of Congress via a video link, likening the current crisis in Ukraine to Japan’s December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and the September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. “Just like no one else expected it, you could not stop it,”He stated. “Our country experienced the same every day, right now, every night, for three weeks now.”
According to the Ukrainian president, they were able to achieve this through cooperation with other countries. “humanitarian no-fly zone,”Russia will no longer be permitted to “terrorize”Ukrainian cities as seen from the sky “To create a no-fly zone over Ukraine, to save people, is this too much to ask?”
On Wednesday, Biden declared $800 million more in US assistance for Ukraine. However, he did not offer military aircraft nor change his position on the no-fly zone. While US politicians are calling for more aggressive responses to the crisis’, lawmakers such as Representative Mike Braun (R.Indiana) or Senator Mike Braun(R.Indiana), have not called for any. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Missouri) warned after Zelensky’s speech that escalations of the conflict could lead to a US-Russia or global war.
“It’s not some sort of gentleman’s agreement,”Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky). “It would literally mean Russian planes being shot down by US forces – and the retaliation that would ensue.”
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