Conflicts & War

Stoltenberg: not declaring Ukraine no-fly zone was ‘painful decision’

Toronto, Canada, Mar 9 (EFE).- Nato’s decision not to declare a no-fly zone over Ukraine was “painful” but necessary in order to avoid an all-out confrontation with Russia, the Alliance’s secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.

Imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly requested, is something that Nato cannot offer, Stoltenberg said during his virtual appearance at the Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence.

“A no-fly zone entails Nato massively attacking Russian air defense systems in Ukraine, in Belarus and in Russia,” he said.

“It entails direct confrontation between Nato air capabilities and Russian air capabilities,” he added.

The Nato chief reiterated that a Russian attack on a member of the Alliance would lead to the triggering of Article 5, meaning all members would consider it an act of war.

Although Ukraine is an important partner and is receiving support from the Alliance against Russian forces, it is not a member, he added. EFE

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