NATO Mulls Imposing No-Fly Zone Over Western Ukraine

Ukraine has revived its talking point and demand that NATO 'close the skies' over Ukraine, which was first featured heavily in the wake of the February 2022 Russian invasion. When this was initially suggested, the idea was that Western jets would intervene or else US anti-air systems would be set up across Ukraine.

But now Ukrainian officials have shifted their request, to involve the establishment of US Patriot systems along Ukraine's Western border from where they would provide protection. Ukrainian parliament member Oleksiy Goncharenko told AFP, "I don’t understand why NATO doesn’t deploy Patriot systems along the Polish border."

"After all, Russian missiles have already entered Polish and Romanian airspace. This would protect the borders of Poland and Romania, and this would create a safe zone in the west and south of Ukraine," he added.

Ukraine's industry and energy infrastructure is being decimated by daily and weekly large-scale drone and missile attacks, to the point that rolling blackouts have had to be introduced nationwide.

However, even if the defense systems were established near the border, the scenario would still involve NATO-manned equipment shooting down Russian jets. It would obviously constitute direct NATO intervention against Russia, setting up for bigger war.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has of course been on board, recently renewing his call for a 'no fly zone' backed by the West.

He said in May: "So my question is, what’s the problem? Why can’t we shoot them down? Is it defense? Yes. Is it an attack on Russia? No. Are you shooting down Russian planes and killing Russian pilots? No. So, what’s the issue with involving NATO countries in the war? There is no such issue," as cited in The New York Times.

And during that same month, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba claimed that there remains "no legal, security or moral argument that stands in the way of our partners shooting down Russian missiles over the territory of Ukraine from their territory."

Worrisomely, NATO officials are actually contemplating the idea of at least a partial no fly zone over Ukraine. According to more from AFP: 

"In the energy sector, the situation is really hard," said a senior Ukrainian security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding he fears it will deteriorate further as winter approaches.

The official said talks were "in progress" with Western allies on a no-fly zone over western Ukraine using Patriot systems in Poland or Romania, "but that is not a simple decision."

NATO's escalation has come piecemeal, even as there has been little serious effort toward getting the two warring sides to the negotiating table. Only in the last several weeks have there been murmurings out of Kiev that it's time for some kind of negotiations, given how poorly Ukraine forces are fairing on the front lines.