NATO on Friday rejected Ukrainian calls to help it protect its skies from Russian missiles and warplanes, wary of being dragged into Moscow's war on its neighbor, but Europe promised more sanctions to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy strongly criticized the decision, saying the alliance had given Russia the green light to continue its bombing campaign.
He had earlier appealed to NATO to set up a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which Russia invaded by land, sea, and air on Feb. 24.
"We are not part of this conflict," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in denying Ukraine's request.
"Russia is carrying out a brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, which NATO, and the whole world, condemn," he said in a press conference on Friday.
"This is the worst military aggression in Europe for decades. With cities under siege, schools, hospitals and residential buildings shelled; reckless actions around a nuclear power plant last night, and many civilians killed or wounded. ... The days to come are likely to be worse, with more death, more suffering, and more destruction, as the Russian armed force bring in heavier weaponry and continue their attacks across the country.
"This is President Putin's war. One he has chosen. Planned. And is waging against a peaceful country. ... The Kremlin's ambition is to recreate a sphere of influence and deny other countries the right to choose their own path.
"We call on President Putin to stop this war immediately, withdraw all his forces from Ukraine without conditions, and engage in genuine diplomacy, now.
"NATO is not seeking a war with Russia. he stressed. "NATO is a defensive Alliance. Our core task is to keep our thirty nations safe. We are not part of this conflict, and we have a responsibility to ensure it does not escalate and spread beyond Ukraine because that would be even more devastating and more dangerous, with even more human suffering.
"Russia's aggression has created a new normal for our security," he continued. "Where fundamental principles are contested through the use of force and we face the threat of conflict for years to come. There is much at stake.
How we organize relations between states, whether democracy or authoritarianism prevails and ultimately, what sort of world we want to live in.
"[NATO] ministers agreed that NATO's relationship with Russia has fundamentally changed for the long term.
But we remain committed to keeping channels for diplomacy and deconfliction open, to avoid any unintended escalation, misunderstanding, or miscalculation.
"President Putin has failed to divide us. NATO is more united, more determined, and stronger than ever."
Ukraine, a former Soviet republic, wants to join the European Union and NATO, moves which Moscow says threaten its security and influence and a path the Kremlin used as a pretext to invade it. Russia has shelled residential areas and civilian infrastructure, as well as captured two nuclear sites.
"Today there was a NATO summit, a weak summit, a confused summit, a summit where it was clear that not everyone considers the battle for Europe's freedom to be the number one goal," Zelenskyy said a televised address late on Friday.
"Today, the leadership of the alliance gave the green light for further bombing of Ukrainian cities and villages, having refused to set up a no-fly zone."
While the West condemned Putin, members of the 30-strong NATO are bound to defend each other in case of attack and wary of sinking into a war with nuclear-armed Russia. The EU threatened more sanctions but it was not clear what it could do.
We are determined, we are united.
The EU and the US will continue to stand by Ukraine and its courageous people, and its steadfast leadership.
Press statement by @vonderleyen during the visit of @SecBlinken in Brussels ↓
— European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) March 4, 2022
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the alliance would defend "every inch" of NATO territory and that Moscow should not doubt Washington's resolve.
"Ours is a defensive alliance. We seek no conflict. But if conflict comes to us, we are ready," he said.
"We'll continue to raise the cost for President Putin. Unless the Kremlin changes course, it will continue down the road of increasing isolation and economic pain."
But the alliance, in which the United States, Britain and France are also nuclear powers, dashed Ukraine's hopes of immediate help Kyiv says could turn the tables in the war.
"We should not have NATO planes operating over Ukrainian airspace or NATO troops operating in Ukrainian territory," Stoltenberg said.
Support for Ukraine so far has come in the form of the heaviest international economic sanctions against Russia to date, as well as arms supplies from NATO states.
On Friday, the West promised Ukraine more humanitarian aid, essential supplies and military support short of going to war.
In a day of intense diplomacy devoid of any obvious immediate results, the G7 countries said they would hold accountable those responsible for war crimes and refuse to recognize any Russian territorial gains.
EU countries said more punishment was coming, after the bloc already cut several Russian lenders from the SWIFT banking system, curbed trade with Moscow and targeted some of the wealth held by Russian oligarchs in the West.
The EU was looking at curbing Russia's access to the International Monetary Fund, officials said. read more
"It's Putin's war, and only Putin can end it," the top EU diplomat, Josep Borrell, said. "If someone expects that sanctions can stop the war tomorrow, they don't know what they're talking about."
Ukraine called on the West to freeze out all Russian banks. But it was not clear when and what more sanctions the EU could agree, given its reliance on Russian energy supplies, which think tank Eurointelligence said amount to $700 million daily.
Stoltenberg said the worst was yet to come as Russia was rolling out more heavy arms.
"The days to come are likely to be worse, with more deaths, more suffering and more destruction," he said.
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