Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is asking NATO countries to shoot down Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory, dismissing concerns of potential nuclear escalation.
“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,” Zelensky said in an interview published by The New York Times on Tuesday. “Shoot down what’s in the sky over Ukraine.”
Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials have expressed envy of Israel after the US and the UK helped intercept Iranian missiles and drones that were fired at Israeli territory. “This is what we saw in Israel. Not even on such a large scale,” Zelensky said.
The interview appears to be the first time Zelensky has publicly asked for direct NATO intervention since he pleaded for a no-fly zone over Ukraine in the early days of the war. The Times also recently reported that Ukraine has asked NATO countries to send troops to Ukrainian territory for training.
Zelensky also asked for permission from the US and other NATO countries to use their weapons on Russian territory, which also risks a major escalation. Moscow recently warned the UK that if Ukraine used British weapons on Russian territory, Russian forces would target UK military sites in Ukraine “and beyond.”
Zelensky said Ukraine’s inability to use US-provided missiles on Russian territory gives Russia a “huge advantage” in fighting near the border, which has increased since Russia launched its new Kharkiv offensive.
The Ukrainian leader dismissed concerns about escalation altogether and criticized Western countries for their approach to Russia. “There are no risks of escalation. Escalation has already occurred: Russia’s escalation against Ukraine,” he said.
“It’s like sanctions. They talk about the risk of economic escalation with Russia. This shows our partners are afraid, in principle, of completely severing relations with the Russian Federation,” Zelensky added.
“Zelensky said” means neocons said. The current Kiev regime is created by neocons, and, obviously, it serves their agenda.
Yes, Nuland & co. are flailing about for ways to keep it going; but reality is closing in on Ukraine and others in the party want to switch focus to Georgia, and still others to Taiwan, … nso on.
What level of intelligence is Z talking to here:
“There are no risks of escalation. Escalation has already occurred: Russia’s escalation against Ukraine,” he said.
Does he understand that “escalation” is not a one time event? That it can happen over and over to when we are all dead, including the civilians in his sad nation??
it’s for domestic consumption – ‘we’re only losing because of them’
in that context, the low ‘level of intelligence’ likely doesn’t matter much – the response to military failure, there as in the US, has always been to blame the west.
now, the blame is not without reason – the u.s. ‘bleed russia dry as in afghanistan’ strategy actively depends on bleeding ukraine dry of men;
but, at the same time, ukraine’s complaint points up something else important – ‘israel’ is more integral to US electoral politics than the longstanding neocon project of nato expansion.
that is:
ukraine is an ‘opportunistic’ right wing political project; whereas israel? israel is more fundamental to the right because it has long had the power to split Democratic electorates, and, thereby, skew domestic politics right.
The US depends on Russia for a few things. It’s sort of funny: We’re at “war,” but we’re still trading.
But Russia has reoriented its economy to just supply Asia. It’s like Europe cut off its supplier. We always hear how we need a post-waste economy with lower living standards. We might see such in Europe.
If you’ve ever tried to buy organic clothing, you have an idea of how woefully expensive the economy could become.
I assume Europe will turn to nuclear power.
What’s the problem? ans. It took thousands of US/Brit/French/Jordanian fighters to shoot down the Iranian drones and missiles. These fighters were totally uncontested. Such would not be the case in Ukraine.
Zelensky cares about the rest of us just as much as he cares about Ukraine. Make him happy. Let’s end this stupid life for Satan’s sake.
No. Zelensky’s life should be ended by the Ukrainians, the same way Mussolini’s life was ended.
“Zelensky said Ukraine’s inability to use US-provided missiles on Russian territory gives Russia a “huge advantage” in fighting near the border, … ”
And having your entire nation propped up and supplied by Western weapons and cash ISN’T a ‘huge advantage’ for the Ukraine? Kiev is supplying NOTHING but manpower in its own defense, and its inept use of that manpower is not only criminally negligent but a tragic waste of otherwise motivated soldiers fighting on the home field.
Zelensky is slipping farther into delusion, and I fully expect him to have his ‘Fuherbunker moment’ (a la ‘Downfall’) any day now. One can only hope he will choose a similar method of ending his career instead of subjecting us to an embarrassing display of groveling to his paymasters to be saved (that being saved from his military or the Ukrainian people, whichever gets to him first). If he’s not spirited out of Kiev and his own people get to him, we might even be treated to a Mussolini-style retirement on live television. Wouldn’t THAT be something for other political leaders to think about?
“So my question is, what’s the problem? Why can’t we shoot them down?”
You can. Have at it.
I cannot help but wonder, if we might be facing an even larger conflict, indeed, in a few places, all at once. The arrogance and hubris is enough to cause anyone to wonder, the true direction the world is going, given this road we seem to be on.
As empires overextend, so do all the tiny problems…
SIMPLICIUS Ѱ
@simpatico771
❗️Russian Air Forces destroyed 90% of Ukrainian electricity generation – Kucherenko. Russian strikes knocked out about ninety percent of Ukrainian electricity generation, and even expanding imports will not help Kiev avoid a deficit.
🔴Ex-Minister of Housing and Communal Services Alexey Kucherenko stated this on the air of the Vyshka Internet channel, as reported by the PolitNavigator correspondent.
Big difference and Zelensky would know that, if he had a few brain cells. The Iranian operation over Israel was coordinated with the US. If Zelensky thinks Russia would coordinate with NATO and allow them to shoot down their missiles, he must be high on something, or just have a LOW IQ.
There’s something almost Sun Tzu or Machiavelli about the Russian Federation strategy in Ukraine, amounting to :
“When at war with an enemy State – if their leader is a complete idiot, leave him in charge.”
NATO already does this. It donates missile systems to Ukraine, transports them to the front, and pay its citizens to operate them and target Russian aircraft based on NATO intelligence. Same issue with providing “Ukraine” with long range attack missiles to hit sites deep in Russia. This is done by NATO nations from Ukraine.
Maybe NATO Should Shoot Zelensky?
Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials have expressed envy of Israel after the US and the UK helped intercept Iranian missiles and drones that were fired at Israeli territory.
Well?
Shows what an idiot this guy is. HOW does NATO shoot down anything over Ukraine? From where? It would require NATO planes over Ukraine – which the Russians would shoot down. Of course, he knows that would bring NATO into the war, which is what he really wants. And is too stupid to know that ain’t gonna happen because Russia already told NATO what happens if they do.
Not to mention that NATO planes can shoot down slow Iranian drones, but not supersonic and hypersonic Russia missiles. And the Patriot can’t, either. So exactly what does he think can? Guy’s a moron.
By the way, the US and NATO and the Arab nations only managed to shoot down some slow drones. According to Professor Theodore Postol most of the Iranian drones, slower missiles and faster missiles got through and did their job: the slower ones absorbed the Israeli air defenses and the fast missiles hit their targets. So the US/NATO/Arab effort was essentially zilch – at an expense of several billion dollars compared to Iran’s cost of several million.
Sorry Zelboy… Don’t be jealous but that privilege is reserved for Israel only…!
Zelensky is now an unelected dictator since his term of office ended last night at Midnight.
He is fare game for any decapitation operation carried out by anyone!
Zelensky and his fascist Ukrainians will not be happy until they provoke World War III between Russia and America.
America needs a new government with adult diplomats and NO NEOCONs in charge!
And Zelensky is only one of all the idiots in the US/NATO alliance. Where do all these corrupt idiots come from? His term is up, why is he still there?
We have a deranged president and congress the house and senate together 535 seats and all of them are crazy. We have two demented old and incompetent men fighting it out in the ring for the presidency.
Europe with the exception of Orban and PM Fico of Slovakia, who was almost assassinated some three weeks ago, the same problems.
How is that possible? They are not even mediocre, they are just intellectually and morally totally bankrupt, spineless, slimy, little worms.
Name one word of wisdom Biden/Trump might have said at some point in public office.