Closing sky over Ukraine to lead to NATO-Russia war: Kiev

• 

Kiev made an admission that establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine 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, Andriy Yermak, head of Volodymyr Zelensky's office, said Wednesday.

In a New York Times article, Yermak reiterated Zelensky's call for a no-fly zone over Russia's western neighbor. "We are calling on the West to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine. We recognize that this would be a serious escalation in the war and that it could bring NATO into direct conflict with Russia."

The article Yermak allegedly wrote from a bunker in Kiev saw the Ukrainian official voicing his gratitude to Western countries, Australia, and Japan for their arms supplies and the sanctions they imposed on Moscow, though he saw that these actions did not suffice.

"We need more - and, please, stop telling us military aid is on the way. Nothing less than our freedom - and yours - is at stake," Yermak claimed in the article.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had urged the international community to consider imposing a no-fly zone over his country for Russian missiles, aircraft, helicopters, and internationally blocking Russia's access to all ports, channels, and airports.

The proposal to close the sky over Ukraine, Zelensky claimed, did not mean bringing NATO into the conflict with Moscow.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg had ruled out the possibility of Brussels imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine during an interview with a US broadcaster.

What is prominent about the Ukrainian talk of a Russia-NATO war is the fact that they come days after US President Joe Biden said: "You have two options: start a third World War, go to war with Russia physically. Or two, make sure that a country that acts so contrary to international law ends up paying the price."

Commenting on what Biden said, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said questions on such a possibility (a third world war or a nuclear war) should instead be addressed to the US administration, adding that if US President Joe Biden was talking about the possibility of such an alternative, then "the old instincts are still alive in the minds."