Poisonous praise for Kremlin boss
Washington: Thanks to Putin, the West is united
03/01/2022 04:29 am
According to the US government, there is currently a strong sense of solidarity among western countries. Washington also names someone responsible for the close alliance: Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin himself.
According to the US government, the Russian attack on Ukraine has led to a closing of ranks within NATO and other western allies. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki called Russian President Vladimir Putin “one of the greatest unifiers of NATO in modern history.” She added at a press conference: “What you see here is a united Europe, a united West, a united NATO standing up against the aggression and invasion led by President Putin.”
Of course, one would prefer Moscow to take de-escalating steps. However, the demonstrative unity of this coalition sends a clear message to Putin that his actions and his rhetoric are unacceptable. Psaki said US President Joe Biden “has led efforts around the world to build this coalition, which includes many countries in Europe but also from other parts of the world, to stand up to President Putin and stand up against aggression and to resist the invasion of Ukraine. All these coordinated actions did not come about by accident.” Biden will not only lead this coalition, but will also urge a coordinated effort to hold Russia accountable.
No no-fly zone over Ukraine
Psaki went on to say that the US government opposes establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine. “It would require the deployment of US military forces to enforce it, which would mean direct conflict, potentially direct conflict and potential war with Russia, which we do not want to engage in,” Psaki said.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby also denied the establishment of a no-fly zone over Ukraine. However, he also pointed out that the airspace over Ukraine is currently contested and borders directly on NATO territory. Appropriate coordination measures are therefore being examined in order to avoid incidents or accidents. “We haven’t made any concrete decisions yet, and we don’t have any indication that the Russians would be interested in exploring these options as well,” Kirby said.