Zelensky: By refusing to close skies over Ukraine, NATO ‘green-lighted’ further bombing

WEB DESK

Ukraine’s president has slammed Nato leaders in a fiery speech over their refusal to implement a no-fly zone around the country.

Speaking from Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelensky said the West’s reluctance to intervene has given Russia “a green light” to continue bombarding towns and villages.

“Today, the leadership of the Alliance green-lighted the further bombing of Ukrainian cities and villages by refusing to create a no-fly zone. You could close the skies, but… I do not know who you can protect, whether you can protect your countries – the countries of the Alliance. You will not be able to buy off from us with liters of fuel for liters of our blood that was shed for our common Europe, for our common freedom, for our common future,” he said.

Nato has argued that a no-fly zone will result in confrontation with Moscow.

But Mr Zelensky said he disagrees that direct action could “provoke Russia’s direct aggression against Nato”.

In angry comments, he said the argument reflects the “self-hypnosis of those who are weak, under-confident inside” and that Western reservations indicated that “not everyone considers the struggle for freedom to be Europe’s number one goal”.

“All the people who will die starting from this day will also die because of you. Because of your weakness, because of your disunity,” a furious Mr Zelensky added.