MOSCOW: Russia’s foreign ministry called on European Union and NATO countries on Saturday to “stop pumping weapons” to Ukraine.
A Russian news agency said Moscow was particularly worried that portable anti-aerial Stinger missiles could end up in the hands of terrorists and pose a threat to airlines.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a “desperate plea” for aircraft to fight Russian invaders during a video call Saturday with US legislators, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. There is strong bipartisan support in the Democratic-controlled US Congress for $10 billion in emergency military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion
Zelenskiy has repeatedly asked the West to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine, but the US and its NATO allies have rebuffed those calls fearing a direct confrontation with Moscow. The US instead has promised Zelenskiy military aid,
The Ukrainian leader “made a desperate plea for European countries to provide Russian-made planes to Ukraine” during Saturday’s video call, Schumer said. “These planes are very much needed. And I will do all I can to help the administration to facilitate their transfer,” Schumer said in a statement. More than 280 members of the Senate and House of Representatives took part in the call.
It is unclear how Washington could assist in the transfer of Russian-made aircraft. However, it could facilitate transactions or possibly become involved in payments or provide replacements for allies who give Ukraine jets.
READ MORE: Zelensky slams NATO over rejection of no-fly zone
Meanwhile, NATO has rejected Ukraine’s appeal for a no-fly zone, prompting fierce criticism from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who said the move greenlighted Russia’s bombing campaign of his country.
Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of NATO, announced the decision following an urgent meeting of the 30-member alliance in Brussels. He said helping Ukraine protect its skies from Russian missiles and warplanes would require NATO forces to shoot down Russian aircraft, a move that could result in a “full-fledged war in Europe involving many more countries”.
“We are not part of this conflict,” he said. “We have a responsibility as NATO allies to prevent this war from escalating beyond Ukraine because that would be even more dangerous, more devastating and would cause even more human suffering.”
Ukraine’s president criticised the decision in a bitter and emotional speech. “There was a NATO summit, a weak summit, a confused summit, a summit where it was clear that not everyone considers the battle for Europe’s freedom to be the number one goal,” Zelenskyy said a televised address on Friday. “Today, the leadership of the alliance gave the green light for further bombing of Ukrainian cities and villages, having refused to set up a no-fly zone.”
Zelenskyy said NATO, too, now bore responsibility for the deaths in Ukraine. “All the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you, because of your weakness, because of your lack of unity,” he said.
Western nations have condemned Russia’s invasion, sending arms supplies to Ukraine and imposing the heaviest international economic sanctions against Moscow to date, including on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.
