NATO rejects Ukraine's request: We are not part of this conflict

On Friday, NATO members rejected Ukraine's request for a "no-fly", saying they were increasing support for Kiev, but that "direct intervention" would lead to a broader and more brutal European war.

"We are not part of this conflict, and our responsibility is to ensure that it does not escalate and extend beyond Ukraine," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Western powers to impose a no-fly zone over his country, since the start of the Russian attack on Ukraine nearly nine days ago, with Russia bombing cities and fighting close to Europe's largest nuclear plant.

"We understand the frustrations, but we also believe that if we did (the imposition of a no-fly in Ukraine) we would end up with a situation that could lead to all-out war in Europe involving a much larger number of countries and involving a lot more suffering," Stoltenberg said.

"The allies agree that there should be no NATO aircraft in Ukrainian airspace, or NATO forces on Ukrainian soil," he said.

Zelensky said Thursday that if the allies did not comply with his request to protect Ukrainian airspace, they should instead provide Kyiv with more warplanes.

NATO members have sent weapons to Ukraine but have refrained from any military action that would put them in direct conflict with Russia.

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news