Read all about the conflict in Ukraine in our file.
“We are not part of this conflict,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said in response to Ukraine’s request. Also, NATO does not send troops to the country.
In a televised address on Friday evening, Zelensky said that by refusing, the military alliance has given Russia a “green light” to continue bombing Ukrainian towns and cities.
The decision against the no-fly zone was taken during an emergency meeting of the thirty NATO foreign ministers on the war in Ukraine. Zelensky described the meeting in his speech as a “weak, confused NATO summit. A summit where it was clear that not everyone sees the fight for Europe’s freedom as the top priority.”