Biden made clear no US troops to fight in Ukraine: Pentagon
The US Department of Defense reiterates Biden's words about Washington not deploying troops in Ukraine against Russia.
US President Joe Biden has been exceedingly clear that no American forces will fight in Ukraine, including in the country's sky, a senior American defense official said Wednesday.
"The President has been exceedingly clear there will be no US troops fighting in Ukraine, that includes in the skies over Ukraine," the official underlined.
"Nothing has changed about that policy, no one is looking for an armed conflict with Russia here in the United States," he claimed.
Russia had for months been warning of the threat posed against it by NATO's attempts to expand eastward, which happened simultaneously with an increase in NATO military activity along Russia's borders, and batches of lethal weapons being sent to Ukraine, prompting Russia to request security guarantees from the West. Washington failed to provide the guarantees.
Canada steers away from direct conflict
Canada agrees with NATO that direct confrontation with Russia in the Ukrainian airspace as a result of imposing a no-fly zone would benefit neither Kiev nor the world, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday.
"NATO has made the determination and we agree and stand with NATO that direct conflict between NATO planes or fighters and Russia would not bring about a better outcome for Ukrainians, nor would it bring a better outcome, especially for the rest of world," Trudeau asserted.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said Kiev could establish a no-fly zone in its airspace as long as it had NATO weapons.
NATO had ruled out the establishment of a no-fly zone over Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the alliance of huge consequences if they take steps in that direction.
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki had also said her country was not interested in establishing such a zone, for it would require the military to shoot down Russian airplanes, which would lead to a war with Russia.
Kiev had made an admission that establishing a no-fly zone as Russia's military operation in the country continues could potentially lead to a direct war between the Russian Federation and NATO, but it is still reiterating the plea for the action, according to Andriy Yermak, head of Volodymyr Zelensky's office.
After the West did not respond to Russia's demands, and amid Ukrainian shelling on the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, President Vladimir Putin initiated a special military operation in Donbass.