Jacobs: A No-Fly Zone Would Increase The Risk of U.S.-Russia War, Risk More Lives
San Diego, CA - Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53) releases the following statement on the potential consequences of the United States and NATO establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine:
“The United States and NATO are united in our support for Ukraine. It's the right thing to do in the face of Russian aggression — but we need to be smart about how we do that. A no-fly zone might seem simple, even the bare minimum to save lives. But any consideration of a no-fly zone must include what this decision would actually mean.
“A no-fly zone is enforced, not declared. It requires our fighter jets to go directly against Russian fighter jets, to get them to stay out of a certain airspace. If the United States were to do this, our fighter jets would potentially have to shoot down Russian jets. This would mean the United States declaring war on Russia.
“The same goes for if a NATO ally were to enforce the no-fly zone: they too might have to shoot down Russian jets. And if Russia retaliated, as they certainly would, our Article 5 obligation would be triggered — and the United States would be at war with Russia.
“It’s understandable to want to do more. But we must understand what is at stake. The risks of two nuclear powers going to war are dramatically increased by a no-fly zone. This is unimaginable, and would risk many more civilian casualties than a no-fly zone would save.”
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