The Ukrainian leader has regularly used social media since the attack began in full force, communicating with his nation and the international community as Russia wages not just a physical war, but also a messaging war of disinformation, on the country. Zelenskyy hasn’t held back in asking the West for more help as Ukrainians fight back. Before the invasion, he accused them of “appeasement” of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and he met with members of Congress on Saturday to appeal for more weapons and measures against the Kremlin, including a no-fly zone.
Still, American and European leaders have been resistant to a no-fly zone, with some arguing that it would unleash a wider war. Asked about no-fly-zones, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday morning on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that President Joe Biden has been clear that he’s not going to put the U.S. in a direct armed conflict with Russia.
“Because for everything we’re doing for Ukraine, the president also has a responsibility to not get us into a direct conflict, a direct war with Russia, a nuclear power, and risk a war that expands even beyond Ukraine to Europe,” Blinken said. “That’s clearly not our interest. What we’re trying to do is end this war in Ukraine, not start a larger one.”
A no-fly zone would not only create the possibility that Russian planes would be shot down but also could lead to Western planes firing on anti-aircraft sites within Russia itself. “I think we need to be clear that we are not going to go to war with Russia,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Markarova, however, said the attacks of the last 11 days show that “all of us must step up” against the Kremlin. “Let’s all remember that Ukraine did nothing to provoke this attack,” she said, adding: “We’re not a threat to Russia unless being a democracy and living peacefully in your own country is a threat.”
“If this situation happened to Ukraine, who is safe?” the ambassador asked. “What democracy can feel safe now?”