© Getty Images / Uli Deck; picture allianceGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has dismissed a proposal tabled by former NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen and the Ukrainian government to establish a no-fly zone over the country as dangerous talk.
His comments came after Rasmussen and Kiev officials presented a ten-page paper which suggested binding Kiev to NATO by implementing an air defense shield over the western part of the country.
Such a move would "protect NATO from Russian missile and drone strikes, but also Ukrainian civilians and military infrastructure in a well-defined area of responsibility inside western Ukraine." This, in turn, would allow Kiev to move air defense systems to the frontline in the east to protect key cities such as Kharkov and Dnepr.
During a campaign speech for his SPD party in the upcoming European Parliament elections, Scholz branded the idea as dangerous talk "with foam at the mouth," and expressed frustration at anyone who is still considering setting up a "no-fly zone" over Ukraine.
"Again and again, there are those who say that one should do this or one should do that. I have a feeling that one does not speak better when foaming at the mouth. In any case, I then hear things that are not good," Scholz said.The Chancellor insisted that while it is important to continue supporting Kiev, neither Germany, Europe or NATO should become a party to the war, and should not be asked to do so as such a development could prompt an "unpredictable reaction" from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Last week, German opposition parties also came out in support of shooting down Russian missiles and drones over Ukraine using defense systems based in Poland and Romania. Scholz's government dismissed the proposal.
Spokesman Steffen Hebestreit stressed that Berlin opposes any initiative aimed at establishing a no-fly zone over any part of Ukraine that would be controlled by NATO forces, saying such a move would "cross the line into direct participation."
Meanwhile, Russia has repeatedly warned that the use of any NATO weapons in Ukraine, such as US-made F-16 fighter jets, would give Moscow the right to target the systems wherever they operate from, including airfields in NATO countries.
Had they not talked about a "no-fly-zone" in the very first days of the conflict ?
The reason they never tried is, they just can't. Neither have they men and materiel to try, nor the capability to withstand the superior Russian missile and air force.
I suppose Scholz still has some advisers with a military background - and who got educated by their ex-military parents or grandparents about Russian tactics and weapons ...