Welsh minister calls for no-fly zone in Ukraine – ‘appeasement will no longer work’
A Welsh Government minister has called for a no-fly zone in Ukraine, despite previously warning that it could escalate to nuclear conflict.
Labour Member of the Senedd and Welsh Counsel General Mick Antoniw, who is of Ukrainian descent and was in the country shortly before conflict broke out, said that he was now calling for a no-fly zone to be imposed after Russia continued to shell the civilian population of the country.
He called on western countries to honour the Budapest Agreement under which they promised to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity in return for them giving up their nuclear weapons.
But a no-fly zone would mean that Russian planes going into Ukraine’s air space would need to be shot down by other countries, which could be interpreted as a declaration of war by nuclear-armed Russia.
“In the light of direct attacks by Russia on the Civilian population in Ukraine it is time for a no-fly zone, not by NATO but by Britain, France and US to honour their obligations to protect Ukrainian Sovereignty under the Budapest Agreement,” Mick Antoniw said.
“Under the Budapest Agreement, Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons. Britain, France and US said they would protect Ukrainian sovereignty. Now is the time to prove that agreement is worth the paper it is written on!”
Asked whether that would simply draw other nations into a wider conflict and possibly lead to a Third World War, he responded: “That presumes [Russia] won’t go for Baltic States and further expansion. He has to be called out now, appeasement will no longer work.”
‘Participants’
ick Antoniw’s call for a no-fly zone represents a change of direction after earlier in the week, when he said that he felt that Ukraine should be armed by western countries but they should not get directly involved.
Asked on Walescast if he supported President Zelensky’s call for a no-fly zone, he said: “I think most Ukrainians recognise that for Nato to actually become directly involved in the war would then escalate it to potential nuclear warfare.
“So, what I’m hearing from most Ukrainians is that we need Stinger missiles, we need the ammunition, we need the capacity to fight, we need air defence systems, we need some of the radar communications technology.
“Although in the last month or two, more and more weaponry has been going to Ukraine, when you consider this situation’s been developing for eight years, it is really, in many ways, too little, too late.”
Vladimir Putin warned yesterday that any attempt to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine would be tantamount to entering the conflict.
The Russian leader said he would view “any move in this direction” as an intervention that “will pose a threat to our service members”.
“That very second, we will view them as participants of the military conflict, and it would not matter what members they are,” he said at the Aeroflot training centre near Moscow.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has called for Nato to impose a no-fly zone over his country, warning that “all the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you.”
Nato has rejected the request on the grounds it could provoke widespread war in Europe.
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“Vladimir Putin warned yesterday that any attempt to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine would be tantamount to entering the conflict.”
But he also said that imposing sanctions was tantamount to entering the conflict.
We have done that; so if he chooses to attack, he already has his “reason”.
The real underlying problem we have is that he is irrational. But we all know, I think, that if we hold back on one reprisal it will just be an excuse for him to try the next prod.
It will be apparent to the majority of readers that any involvement in a “No-fly zone” will be interpreted as waging a war against Russia. It will also be apparent that a No-fly zone would not suit Russia because NATO Forces would be more skillful in aerial combat and blow them out of the sky. Unfortunately, I hope I am wrong but I can see the west being dragged into the mess created by Russia. Some sections of Russia’s Armed Forces are fearsome but a very large portion of their troops are conscripted and it wouldn’t take much for them… Read more »
A no fly zone equals almost certain conflict with Russia which could very well mean nuclear war in Europe. That is not an opinion that is fact. We may feel helpless and angry with the situation in Ukraine but a no fly zone would be an act of insanity and certain to make the situation far far worse.
But, as I said, Putin already has his “reason”.
You cannot trust an irrational psychopath.
If we do nothing, he will just go for the next slice.
As with other armies, the final order for a nuclear attack must be authorised by the military, regardless of what Putin says, and as the US army stated , Trump may have given the order, for a preemptive strike, on Iran when in power, but the army would have refused. Are we certain the Russian army want total destruction.
No. It’s an opinion
Surely a no-fly zone has to include shooting down missiles? And the intercepting aircraft to be protected from missiles. Is the anti-missile system installed in eg. Poland. Very dangerous to start on a very high-tech war. The US declaring they’ll supply Poland with replacement fighter for the Russion Migs that Poland sends to Ukraine is surprisingly public, unless the main purpose is to head off western pressure for no-fly intervention.
Very high tech? The media’s obsession with plucky manufacturers of molotov cocktails and wielders of grandad’s rabbit gun aside, it’s already a high tech war. Here’s an off the top of my head list of some hardware already delivered since 24 Feb. Some of this equipment is already used by the Ukrainian armed forces and none of it would be much help if the operators weren’t already familiar with its use. Next gen LAW Javelin Stinger Saxon AV TB2 drones US reconnaisance drones US radar systems Norwegian SAMs DANA self propelled artillery Their Albatross basic jet trainer is the same… Read more »
And if Putin invades Moldova what then, as Lukashenko held a meeting of Belarus security council, and showing maps of the planned invasion.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DaBh1px-7erM&ved=2ahUKEwjA8f3I5rH2AhUGT8AKHazDDaUQtwJ6BAgDEAI&usg=AOvVaw3OcJ2HynOjaJ6eZebMGk2F
Fortunately, the East European states won’t have it.
I think this is more dangerous than the Cold War. At least in the 1980s the memories of the Cuban Missile Crisis were still fresh, and both sides were in agreement as to the threat of Mutually Assured Destruction. Even Reagan wasn’t stupid enough to press the button no matter how much he hated the ‘evil empire’. Today though in this post-Trump world we have irrational populist leaders who probably wouldn’t think twice about using it, and thats what is frightening Putin has been in power since the turn of the century, thats longer than any Russian/Soviet leader since Joseph… Read more »
We cannot stand by of course and if we dont do anything we will be as guilty as the apesers before World War2.
Our Putin trolls on this site have all gone to earth but we nerd to br our guard for their return serving their master
Pro Putin trolls are all over Social media especially Facebook. They either harp on about neo nazis in Ukraine or use whataboutisms as justification (Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel in Palestine etc).
Weve had 3 on nation cymru over the last week or so
that i have spotted.
Very clever and not too obvious but very clear in trying to steer the debate. One LS appears to be key but gone of air currently.
The number of Russian flags in the comments to Zelenskiy’s insta posts is awful. If you’re interested and feel like showing him some Welsh support, a lot of his daily videos have subtitles.
Diolch ✅
We must not forget
I don’t know why people attack Zelensky, when the poor bloke is just a puppet.
On Wickipedia, enter Ihor Kolomoyski, who owned the media group which
put the Zelinsky show on. Was about a guy who fights against corruption and eventually actually becomes president! lol, but maybe not lol? Anyway, have a look for yourselves? It’s pretty much like Trump and the whole Reality thing in my opinion. The more you delve, the crazier it gets. Myself, I’m sticking with Cymru!
Troll 😈 🇷🇺 alert 🚨 ?
I suggest unmanned blimps around the Ukrainian border from which hang signs saying something like “AIRSPACE CLOSED” then another yellow sign to support it saying “Please follow the advertised diversion routes around Ukrainian airspace.”
Apologies for the typographic error in the previous comment, which prevented the link to my <a href=”https://taklowkernewek.neocities.org/”>website</a> from working.
I am a big believer in the UN but it needs to be far far stronger. A UN no fly zone over Ukraine if not UN blue helmet peacekeepers on the ground would be far harder for Putin to retaliate against. It would show a truly united world against tyrants. The UN needs reform and the Security Council scrapped.
Agreed. Britain has got to stop cowering and cringing.
Oh, it’s BRITAIN now? My nation is CYMRU, first and last!
Foreign policy is not devolved.
I agree. Our Welsh air force should deploy immediately