During a virtual exchange with elected members of the American Congress this Saturday, March 5, the Ukrainian president renewed his request for Soviet-made planes. Some senators have promised to unblock...

Ukraine: facing the American elected officials, Zelensky asks for planes and a no-fly zone

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a speech, in Kiev on March 4, 2022. © AFP - UKRAINE PRESIDENCY

Text by: RFI Follow

3 mins

During a virtual exchange with elected members of the American Congress this Saturday, March 5, the Ukrainian president renewed his request for Soviet-made planes.

Some senators have promised to release ten billion dollars in aid for Ukraine.

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The accent is defiant and the demand almost desperate.

This may be the last they will see him alive.

Such is the warning of one Volodymyr Zelensky to members of Congress in Washington.

“

Elected officials from the Senate and House [of Representatives, NFLR], Republicans and Democrats, took part in this call.
We are united in support of Ukraine

,” Republican Senator Steve Daines told Fox News.

The Ukrainian president called for both aid in military equipment and an intervention to take control of the Ukrainian skies in order to prevent any Russian bombardment.

He also called for tougher economic sanctions against Russia, including a ban on Russian oil and gas imports, and the suspension of Visa and Mastercard credit cards in Russia, US lawmakers quoted by AFP reported.

"Let's give them the planes and drones they need"

He also "

made a poignant appeal for the countries of Eastern Europe to provide him with Russian-made planes [...] and I will do everything possible for the administration to facilitate their transfer

", added the Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer in a statement.

“

There are planes available in some NATO countries that the Ukrainians know how to fly, but apparently the United States is part of the problem and not the solution,

however, noted Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, in a video uploaded. line on Twitter.

Let's give them the planes and drones they need.

Takeaways from our call this morning with President @ZelenskyyUa #StandWithUkraine️ pic.twitter.com/V4boEuvHQj

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 5, 2022

Ten billion dollars in aid

The head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell said on Sunday February 27 that EU states were ready to deliver MiG-type fighter planes, which Ukrainian pilots know how to handle, but the countries concerned, including Bulgaria, Poland or Slovakia, then showed more restraint.

In response to requests from Volodymyr Zelensky, US elected officials announced financial assistance.

We will quickly release these 10 billion to help the Ukrainian people economically, humanitarian and security

," Chuck Schumer told him, according to a source informed of the content of the discussions which took place by Zoom.

We must vote for this aid of 10 billion, which would be half humanitarian, half military

," insisted Republican Senator Steve Daines.

►

To read also: War in Ukraine: Antony Blinken welcomes Poland's involvement in the crisis

Putin's Warning

President Vladimir Putin stressed on Saturday that Russia would consider co-belligerent any country attempting to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, a claim by Kiev that NATO has rejected.

“We hear that it would be necessary to establish a no-fly zone over Ukrainian territory.

But it is impossible to do this from the territory of Ukraine, it is only possible to do it from the territory of neighboring countries,” Vladimir Putin said.

But any measure in this direction would be considered by Moscow "

as participation in the armed conflict of any country

" whose territory would be used to "

create a threat to our military

", he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky strongly criticized on Friday March 4 NATO's refusal to set up a no-fly zone in Ukraine to neutralize Russia's vastly superior capabilities in the air.

Western countries refuse to accede to this request, which is complex to implement, on the grounds that this would entail a significant risk of direct conflict with Russia.

Ukraine: facing the American elected officials, Zelensky asks for planes and a no-fly zone

Ukraine: facing the American elected officials, Zelensky asks for planes and a no-fly zone

"Let's give them the planes and drones they need"

Ten billion dollars in aid

Putin's Warning

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