The President of Ukraine Just Asked Congress to Do Something VERY Dangerous

A US 'no-fly zone' in Ukraine is a terrible idea that endangers Americans.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to Congress Wednesday, describing the horrors unfolding in his country amid a violent Russian invasion and pleading for US aid. One can’t help but feel sympathy for the Ukrainian people right now. But in this speech, Zelenskyy renewed his calls for a US “no-fly zone” in Ukraine—and there’s a big problem with this request. 

First, let’s be clear about what exactly a “no-fly zone” means. When the US military declares a no-fly zone, it is saying no aircraft may travel through a set space. It enforces this by shooting down any plane that does so. This is what Zelenskyy is requesting.

“Right now, at this moment, every night for 3 weeks now, there are Ukrainian cities [where] Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death for thousands of people,” Zelenskyy said. “Countless bombs… they use drones to kill us with precision. This is a terror Europe has not seen for 80 years and we are asking for a reply from the whole world.” 

“Is it a lot to ask to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine to save people?” the Ukrainian president asked. “Is this too much? So that Russia would not be able to terrorize our free cities?”

Unfortunately, yes, it is too much to ask, as one astute observer noted:

A US “no-fly zone” in Ukraine is a terrible idea that endangers Americans. Enforcing it would require us to shoot down Russian aircraft and kill Russian pilots—an act of war. This would probably enter the US into a hot war with Russia, a nuclear power. Zelenskyy is essentially asking the US to attack Russia and get into this conflict ourselves, something Americans overwhelmingly oppose

The risks of a military conflict with Russia are difficult to overstate. Quite literally the fate of humanity is at stake when it comes to a potential nuclear exchange, and at the very least, a war with Russia would be long, bloody, and protracted. There is simply no American interest to be achieved in Ukraine that could possibly even come close to justifying such an extreme risk. 

Of course, Zelenskyy’s speech pulls at the heartstrings, and it’s completely understandable for members of Congress and the public at large to feel sympathy for the Ukrainian people right now. It’s also understandable why Zelenskyy would ask for a no-fly zone, as he’s desperate to do anything that could protect his people.

But American policymakers have an obligation to put America First, not endanger the safety of all of our families by intervening in foreign conflicts far from our shores.

Like this article? Check out the latest BASEDPolitics podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or below:

Sign up for Our Email List

* indicates required
*By signing up for our email you consent to getting our emails directly in your inbox. These including our newsletter or other informational emails*

Our Latest Podcast

Related articles

Rand Paul: Why did the Left abandon its defense of free speech?

Rand Paul asked a great question. https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/1730256213059776625 The answer is simple:...

Dr. Fauci set for dramatic showdown in Congress

Go ahead and pencil January 8th and 9th into...

Javier Milei proved that libertarian populism can win

In 2008 and 2012, Republican Congressman Ron Paul ran...

Don’t fall for ‘woke’ misinformation about the origins of Thanksgiving

Who doesn’t love Thanksgiving ? Woke social media activists, apparently. Every time this...
Brad Polumbo
Brad Polumbo
Brad Polumbo is a libertarian-conservative journalist and co-founder of Based Politics. His work has been cited by top lawmakers such as Senator Rand Paul, Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Pat Toomey, Congresswoman Nancy Mace, Congressman Thomas Massie, and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, as well as by prominent media personalities such as Jordan Peterson, Sean Hannity, Dave Rubin, Ben Shapiro, and Mark Levin. Brad has also testified before the US Senate, appeared on Fox News and Fox Business, and written for publications such as USA Today, National Review, Newsweek, and the Daily Beast. He hosts the Breaking Boundaries podcast and has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.