Republicans say Ukraine should be able to set up its own no-fly zone

Republicans say Ukraine should be able to set up its own no-fly zone with the help of fighter jets sent from the US after Zelensky begged with Congress for help ‘protecting his skies’

  • Republicans pushed for Ukraine to see more weapons and even fighter jets
  • Lawmakers argued Ukraine should be able to patrol its own skies 
  • ‘There are other ways to make the air dangerous for the Russians with all kinds of different weapons,’ said Republican Leader Mitch McConnell
  • Republican Senator Mitt Romney pushed for the Ukraine to receive jets
  • ‘We can create safe skies by getting MiGs that are available in Poland to the folks in Ukraine to fly themselves,’ he said 

American lawmakers left Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech on Wednesday determined to help but differing on how to do so with Republicans pushing for fighter jets and Democrats more cautious in their words. 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said after Zelensky’s remarks that the message to President Joe Biden ‘is that he needs to step up his game.’ 

Republicans have push for a proposed deal with Poland to send MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. But Biden’s administration poured cold water on the idea last week after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned any further involvement in Ukraine by the U.S. would be an escalation that could result in dragging the west into the conflict. 

McConnell agreed with the Biden administration that the U.S. shouldn’t send in troops or man a no-fly zone over the Ukraine but he said the United States should send any weapons Ukraine needs..

‘There are other ways to make the air dangerous for the Russians with all kinds of different weapons. Dealing with low-flying planes, with high-flying planes we need to get them everything they need to try to prevent carnage from the air,’ he said.

‘There are other ways to make the air dangerous for the Russians with all kinds of different weapons,’ said Republican Leader Mitch McConnell

Republican Senator Mitt Romney pushed for the Ukraine to receive jets

And Republican Senator Rick Scott called on Biden to decide to today if he’s going to send additional miltary equipment to the Ukraine.

‘President Biden needs to make a decision today: either give Ukraine access to the planes and anti-aircraft defense systems it needs to defend itself or enforce a no-fly zone to close Ukrainian skies to Russian attacks,’ Scott said.

Senator Mitt Romney, who is also pushing for fighter jets to be sent to Ukraine, said it makes more sense for the West to help the Ukraine enforce peace over its own skies.

‘I think it’s pretty clear that it’s not a good idea for NATO to be in a combat in the skies with the Russians and shooting at each other. That has the potential really becoming a World War III type scenario,’ he said. ‘But we can create safe skies by getting MiGs that are available in Poland to the folks in Ukraine to fly themselves.’  

And Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus who stationed in Kyiv during his time as an FBI agent, supports what he calls a limited no-fly zone. 

He said technology – like electro-magnetic pulse and sonar radar – could enforce it instead of shooting down planes.

‘We’ve got to support a humanitarian no-fly zone,’ said Fitzpatrick. ‘Otherwise, the only other outcome is slaughtering innocent people.’

But Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he wanted to send the fighter jets despite the risk of escalation with Russia. 

‘We’re not going to have a nuclear war over this. This is a bluff by Putin,’ Graham said. ‘He may be a murderer but he is not suicidal.’ 

In his remarks, Zelensky repeated his plea for the western nations to enforce a no-fly zone over his country. The U.S. and its allies fret such a move would escalate into World War III.

‘This is a terror that Europe has not seen for 80 years, and we are asking for our life for an answer to this terror from the whole world. Is this a lot to ask for? To create a no-fly zone over Ukraine to save people? Is this too much to ask? Humanitarian no-fly zone, something that Russia would not be able to terrorize our free cities,’ he said.

‘I need to protect our sky. I need your decision, your help,’ he said. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a video to Congress where he asked for helpl protecting his country’s skies

President Joe Biden outlined details the latest package of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine Wednesday as the country battles Vladimir Putin’s ‘depraved onslaught’

President Biden made his own speech following Zelensky’s address. Biden will head to Brussels next week for a hastily arranged NATO meeting to discuss the situation in the Ukraine.

During his remarks on Wednesday, Biden provided a detailed laundry list of a new tranche of $800 million in deadly arms the U.S. is providing to Ukraine. 

‘We’re going to give Ukraine the arms to fight and defend themselves through all the difficult days ahead,’ Biden pledged, as he faces pressure from Congress and from Zelensky to provide Ukraine with a means to defend itself. 

He also spoke in unusual detail about the latest package of aid, which brings U.S. military assistance to $1 billion just this week. 

It includes 800 anti-aircraft systems, 9,000 anti-armor systems, portable ‘high accuracy’ shoulder mounted missiles, and 7,000 small arms, plus machine guns, shotguns, and grenade launchers. 

He said the package would include drones, ‘which demonstrates our commitment to sending our most cutting-edge systems to Ukraine for its defense.’ He didn’t specify if he meant the latest kamikaze killer drones that the administration had been considering.

Biden said the package included ‘additional longer range anti-aircraft systems,’ which he described as coming at Zelensky’s request.

One thing Biden didn’t mention and didn’t want to talk about were MiG fighter jets Zelensky is pleading for and his administration has refused to authorize the transfer of.

He didn’t comment when reporters asked him about it. But the president later called Putin a ‘war criminal,’ which is the first time he’s used that term. 

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday defended the administration’s position, saying the support the president outlined ‘is exactly what we feel is effective’ in fighting Russia.      

Firefighters try to extinguish a fire broke out at the Saltivka construction market

Democratic lawmakers were cautious in their words, tempering the desire to help Ukraine without going to far in pledging direct military assistance, which the Biden administration has worried could lead to escalation with Russia and World War III.

‘There’s not any member of Congress left that room without thinking what more the United States can do to stop this carnage. Just a gut wrenching speech,’ said Democratic Senator Chris Murphy.

He noted the U.S. ‘wants to do everything in coordination with our allies, which sometimes means it takes a couple extra days.’ 

But he and other Democrats appeared hesitant on Zelensky’s call for a no-fly zone.

Democratic Senator Richard Blumethal made a plea for time, saying the harsh economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the U.S. and its allies needed time to work.

‘I think he’s making an argument that he needs to make I don’t necessarily believe that it will spiral in that way that fast. I think. I mean, it’s hard to say when people are dying, but erring on the side of caution for something that doesn’t spiral out of control, and allow some of the tools that we’ve put in place, because Russian economy has cratered,’ he said.

And Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer didn’t make calls for specific types of military aid to Ukraine.

‘As we have said from the start of the war, the Senate, the Congress, and the American people stand unequivocally behind the people of Ukraine,’ he said. 

Russian forces have been targeting civilians in Ukraine, including women and children. On Wednesday, forces ruthlessly gunned down ten Ukrainian civilians waiting in line for bread outside the northern city of Chernihiv.

Footage published by Ukrainian website Public, which was corroborated by the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, shows the lifeless bodies of ten people sprawled on the street after they were apparently executed in cold blood.

‘Today, Russian forces shot and killed 10 people standing in line for bread in Chernihiv. Such horrific attacks must stop,’ declared the US Embassy in a statement on Twitter, adding they were considering options to ‘ensure accountability’ for the ‘atrocity’.

It comes after drone footage emerged of a group of Russian soldiers executing a lone Ukrainian civilian who was trying to surrender on a highway west of Kyiv last week.

The slaughtering of civilians, particularly those who do not pose a threat, is considered a war crime under international humanitarian law.

Yet Russian authorities continue to insist that their forces have only targeted strategic military locations and are not waging war on the civilian population of Ukraine.

Source: Read Full Article

Previous post KISS Co-Founders Ace Frehley, Peter Criss To Perform Together At Creatures Fest
Next post Make These 3 Ree Drummond St. Patrick's Day Treats in 35 Minutes or Less