US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stressed today, Thursday, that Washington will not send troops to Ukraine, reiterating the administration’s rejection of the idea of a no-fly zone, and said, “Imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine means declaring war with Russia.”
He also said in a joint press conference with the Minister of Defense of Slovakia, that Washington is working to strengthen the capabilities of the Ukrainian forces to defend its territory, stressing that the Ukrainian forces did not allow Russia to have full air control.
In this context, the US Secretary of State affirmed, on Wednesday, his country’s commitment to defending the territory of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken pledged to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for his military operation in Ukraine.
Appeal for a no-fly zone
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to US lawmakers to impose a no-fly zone on his war-torn country or, otherwise, for Washington, send fighter planes.
Defense Ministers of America and Slovakia
“Russia has turned the skies of Ukraine into a source of death for thousands of people,” he added in a speech broadcast live to the US Congress from Kyiv.
An unprecedented process in 80 years
He also added that the military operation that began three weeks ago has not been seen in Europe for 80 years.
It is noteworthy that the Russian military operation launched on February 24, was previously described by the Kremlin as limited, but it quickly spread towards Kyiv, which many NATO countries prepared to support with qualitative weapons, led by the United States.