Zelensky Makes Plea to Congress: 'Close The Sky Over Ukraine'

U.S. and NATO step up support of Ukraine, but stop short of establishing a no-fly zone.

Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 01:00 PM ET

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked Americans to remember events like the September 11th attacks and the attack on Pearl Harbor when considering what his country is going through. [File photo: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy implored the U.S. for a no-fly zone and additional military aid, citing devastating attacks on Ukrainian civilians.
The U.S. is providing an additional $800 million in military aid but is hesitant to implement a no-fly zone due to fears of escalating the conflict with Russia.
A no-fly zone would require significant military intervention, potentially leading to a wider war and increased human suffering.
Despite strong support for Ukraine, the U.S. and NATO are wary of direct military confrontation with Russia.

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In an impassioned live address to members of Congress Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the U.S. to help “close the sky over Ukraine,” calling for a no-fly zone and additional military assets.

Zelensky’s emotional plea for help comes three weeks into Russia’s invasion of its western neighbor that has turned to widespread shelling of Ukrainian population centers. Russian troops have already fired nearly 1,000 missiles at Ukraine, he said, making the case for a humanitarian no-fly-zone, military fighter aircraft, and mobile air defense systems.