Former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg writes in his memoirs he refused President Zelensky's February 2022 request for a no-fly zone over Ukraine because NATO would have had to strike Russian air defenses in Belarus and Russia, risking direct war. He called ending that phone call painful.
Jens Stoltenberg feared Nato would collapse under his leadership
Nato’s former secretary-general has described the “painful moment” in February 2022 when he refused President Zelensky’s desperate plea to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
Jens Stoltenberg said he feared their conversation might be the last phone call the president would make.
“We all feared for the life of President Zelensky and his family,” he said. “He called me from a bunker in Kyiv with Russian tanks just up the road. And he said: ‘I accept you’re not sending in Nato ground troops, though I disagree. But please close the airspace. Prevent the Russian planes, drones and helicopters from flying and attacking us.’
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Stoltenberg said he had told Zelensky: “I understand why you’re asking for this. But it will not happen, because if Nato is going to close the airspace of Ukraine, the first thing we have to do is take out Russian air defence systems in Belarus and Russia, as we cannot fly in over Ukrainian airspace with Russian air defence missiles targeting Nato planes.
“And if there is a Russian plane or helicopter in the air, we have to shoot it down and then we are in full war between Nato and Russia. And we’re not willing to do that.