Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Nato ‘hypnotised by Russian aggression’

The leader has urged Nato again to implement a no-fly zone
AP
Sami Quadri15 March 2022

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned Nato over its refusal to implement a no-fly zone.

In a video call to Boris Johnson and representatives from Baltic and northern European countries gathered in London, Mr Zelensky said Nato had been “hypnotised” by Russia.

He said Vladimir Putin’s invasion had undermined the European security infrastructure by invading a sovereign country.

The leader said Nato was “the strongest alliance in the world” but he warned “some of the members of this alliance are hypnotised by Russian aggression”.

“We hear a lot of conversations about the third world war, that allegedly it could start if Nato will close the Ukrainian sky for Russian missiles and planes and, therefore, the humanitarian no-fly zone was not yet established,” he said.

“That allows the Russian army to bombard peaceful cities and blow up housing blocks and hospitals and schools. Four multi-storey buildings in Kyiv in the early morning were bombarded, dozens of dead.”

Mr Zelensky voiced his frustration over Ukraine not being allowed to join Nato, a move which may have protected it from invasion because of the alliance’s mutual defence policy.

Speaking through an interpreter, he said the alliance’s “open doors” policy had not worked for Ukraine.

“Of course Ukraine is not a Nato member, we understand that,” he told the European leaders.

“We have heard for many years about the open doors, but we also heard that we can’t enter those doors. This is the truth and we have simply to accept it as it is.”

He said other countries bordering Russia should think about their “independent defence capabilities” outside Nato.

He added: “We are doing the best to get the jet fighters and missile defence systems. We need some new format, if we cannot enter the open doors (of Nato) then we have to co-operate with platforms and unions that allow us to do so.”

Western sanctions “are not enough” to end the Russian aggression, he said as he called for a full trade embargo.

The president criticised firms continuing to do business with Russia and said “the world is silent” as nuclear power plants are being captured and shelled.

“Many international companies have not yet withdrawn from the Russian market although severe sanctions were introduced,” he said.

Those firms “don’t care about the 97 kids who were killed so far”, he claimed.

The leader called for Russian navy vessels to be barred from ports around the world and for all Russian banks to be excluded from the Swift financial messaging system.

He said: “We have to acknowledge Russia as a rogue state and there has to be a trade embargo with Russia. This is something that we need and you need as well, just like the rest of the world, to make sure there is peace in Europe and Ukraine.”

Mr Zelensky told the leaders and ministers gathered at Lancaster House in London to “help yourself by helping us”.

He said the shipments of supplies from the UK and other nations were being rapidly used up.

“The amount that we are getting per week is used, usually by us within 20 hours,” he said.

Mr Johnson told the Ukrainian leader: “You challenge us, quite rightly, to do more and we all know that we can and we must do more.”

The Prime Minister said: “I hear your point very loud and clear about the economic sanctions that we need to tighten, where we need to go harder on the banks, on Swift.”

He acknowledged it is a “desperate moment” and “we must try to do more, particularly to support you in protecting the Ukrainian people from bombardment from artillery and by aviation”.

The UK has already said it is planning to send Starstreak anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine.

Mr Johnson said the Ukrainian president had been “inspirational and brave”.

“He has spoken to the world and he has mobilised world opinion against the brutality of Vladimir Putin,” he said.

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