E.U. to ban Russian flights from airspace...
European leaders on Sunday announced strong new measures in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including closing E.U. skies to Russian aircraft, blocking some Russian media and financing weapons for Kyiv.
The EU said that for the first time, it would “finance the purchase and delivery of weapons to a country under attack,” in this case, Ukraine.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said at a news conference in Brussels that E.U. airspace will now be closed to all Russian owned, registered or controlled aircraft, including “the private jets of oligarchs.”
The bloc of 27 nations plans to ban media outlets Sputnik, Russia Today and their subsidiaries so that they can “no longer spread lies to justify Putin’s war,” she said. “For the first time ever, we will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment for a country that is under attack,” she added.
“As the war in Ukraine rages on, and Ukrainians fight bravely for their country, the European Union steps up once more its support for Ukraine and the sanctions against the aggressor — Putin’s Russia,” Von der Leyen said.
Putin put his nuclear forces on alert in response to "aggressive statements from the West." On the first day he warned every nation not to "interfere" in the war, reminding all that Russia had a formidable nuclear arsenal "to defend itself." Are not the U.S. announcement that it would send $300M in military equipment to Ukraine, and now the EU's similar commitment, both "aggressive statements" in Putin's mind? Are not both "interference" in the war? Must needs be very careful here not to give him what he wants, nuclear war.
