Fuelled by repeated appeals from President Zelensky, western support for a no-fly zone in Ukraine is growing. The number of Americans in favour of a no-fly zone outnumber those against by 45 per cent to 20. People seem to feel that something must be done, beyond the sanctions already in place and the provision of weapons. A no-fly zone is something; therefore it must be done.
So far, western leaders have rejected these requests. Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has explicitly ruled out the idea, as have No. 10 and the White House. On this, if only this, they find themselves in agreement with Vladimir Putin: imposing one would be an act of war.
Despite these warnings, journalists, backbench politicians, analysts, and former Nato commanders continue to call for the implementation of a no-fly zone, damning opposition as an act of appeasement no different to our appeasement of Hitler in 1938, or asking whether our unwillingness to act means we wouldn’t defend Nato members.
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