Pressure on Biden to intervene increases.

[Tomconroy]

From this morning's Politico Playbook:


HOW TO PREVENT A WIDER WAR — Biden has been adamant that he will protect every inch of NATO territory and that no American troops will step foot in Ukraine. The discipline to prevent escalation that leads to a NATO-Russian war and to remain firm about his no-boots-on-the-ground pledge is being tested every day. The pressure on Biden to intervene is increasing.

Biden’s first test is the no-fly zone. The unified opposition to an NFZ — “World War III,” Russia hawk Sen. MARCO RUBIO (R-Fla.) recently called it — has started to crack. Illinois Rep. ADAM KINZINGER, every liberal’s favorite Republican, has loudly called for Biden to defend the skies above Ukraine from Russian planes. “I fear if this continues, we will have to intervene in a bigger way,” he said Thursday night after a day of heightened Russian attacks on civilian areas. Sen. ROGER WICKER (R-Miss.) is also on board, as are some big-name Democratic policymakers from the Obama years, such as EVELYN FARKAS, the top official for Ukraine in the Obama Pentagon.

Zelenskyy reiterated his call for a no-fly zone on Thursday. “How long do you need? How many arms and legs and heads should be severed so that you understand?” he said at a press conference in Kyiv. “If you don’t have the strength to provide a no-fly zone, then give me planes. Would that not be fair?”
As the refugee crisis worsens and Russian artillery decimates Ukraine’s largest cities, the pro-NFZ voices will get louder.

[JohnSJ]

1. Unless we want a direct military engagement with Russia, having the US enforce a no fly zone

in Ukraine will guarantee that

Can the UN be used to help Ukraine with peace keeping troops somehow?

[uponit7771]

2. The collective world has sent the Russian economy to N Korea, RU can't even sell it's Oil. Once ...

Putrid can't pay his troops this thing is over... They're not fighting for defense of country

[BlackSkimmer]

3. I think we should at least stop buying all this Russian oil.

It makes us look like political considerations are more important than Ukrainian lives. Not good optics.

[JohnSJ]

4. The US could do it for sure, but Germany and others won't

The ideal solution would be for Saudi Arabia to step in to fill the short fall

[gab13by13]

7. I believe the EU has already banned Russian oil.

[JohnSJ]

13. Thanks. Germany is implying they need it I think

https://amp.dw.com/en/germany-warns-against-ban-on-energy-imports-from-russia/a-61002737

[BlackSkimmer]

16. Yes, at least we could take that step.

It would be nice for Saudi Arabia to do that, but I don’t think it’s the most altruistic of nations lol.

[JohnSJ]

17. I agree

[Lovie777]

5. Once a nuclear disaster happens . . .

all protocols are off. Putin wants power over eastern Europe and doesn't care how many lives are affected.

[JohnSJ]

6. If that actually happens you are right, we will directly involve ourselves in Ukraine

[gab13by13]

8. It doesn't matter how many times this subject is brought up,

it isn't going to happen. President Biden is not going to start WW III. The Putin Party (GQP) will use this talking point at election time; Biden should have done more, so let's keep posting their talking points every day to make it easier for them.

Send them more Stinger missiles.

[Vinca]

9. If Putin didn't have nukes along with his madness, it would be a no brainer, but if we intervene

he's apt to do anything. I don't have the answers other than wishing an operative could get close enough to Putin to kill him and of course that will never happen since he sits 20 feet away from people at a table. He probably has a food taster, too. He's every bit as evil as Hitler, though, and if he steps a foot into a NATO country we would have to engage, nukes or not.

[Bear Creek]

10. Another problem

I have been wondering about China. They are watching to see if Putin can get by with this. They do consider all of Asia as China and there is tension between China and India.

[Emile]

11. Armchair Warriors have pushed us into more wars. .

[nuxvomica]

12. He can establish a no-fly zone without formally doing so

All he has to do is announce he is going to visit Ukraine himself and invite the other NATO leaders to join him. Then it's no longer Putin playing chicken with the West but rather the other way around. I'm thinking way outside the box, of course.

[Saboburns]

14. No. No he absolutely can not.

It's foolish talk.

We, the US nor NATO, are NOT going to shoot at Russian airplanes over Ukraine.

Get real.

[honest.abe]

15. I like the idea of an EU no-fly zone without US or NATO involvement.

So only EU countries not in NATO. Not sure who that is but I saw a list someone posted recently. There are several.

[Happy Hoosier]

18. That would be preferred.

And start just over the Western regions to guarantee the safety of refugee and relief routes. Expand slowly.