Zelenskyy condemns 'weak' Nato over no-fly zone warning deaths will be on their hands

5 March 2022, 09:11 | Updated: 5 March 2022, 15:42

Zelenskyy has criticised Nato for its lack of action.
Zelenskyy has criticised Nato for its lack of action. Picture: Alamy/LBC

By Emma Soteriou

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned Nato for refusing to introduce a no-fly zone, saying it will be partially responsible for those killed amid the conflict.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Mr Zelenskyy said in a late night address on Friday that he felt the West needed to do more to defend Ukraine, criticising Nato for its refusal to impose a no-fly zone.

"All the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you, because of your weakness, because of your lack of unity," he said.

"The alliance has given the green light to the bombing of Ukrainian cities and villages by refusing to create a no-fly zone."

He had previously appealed to Nato to set up the no-fly zone on February 24.

However, Boris Johnson, Joe Biden and other Nato leaders have all been adamant that they cannot actively get involved in the fighting.

They have warned that to do so could provoke widespread war in Europe with a nuclear-armed Russia.

Mr Zelenskyy referred to the Budapest Memorandum - the 1994 security guarantees given to Ukraine in exchange for the withdrawal of its Soviet-era nuclear weapons.

He said: "All that the alliance was able to do today was to pass through its procurement system 50 tons of diesel fuel for Ukraine. Perhaps so we could burn the Budapest Memorandum.

"You will not be able to pay us off with litres of fuel for the litres of our blood, shed for our common Europe."

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg previously said in denying Ukraine's request: "We are not part of this conflict.

"We have a responsibility as Nato allies to prevent this war from escalating beyond Ukraine because that would be even more dangerous, more devastating and would cause even more human suffering."

Read more: Russia to observe temporary ceasefire in two Ukrainian cities for civilian evacuation

Read more: 'By God's grace we avoided nuclear catastrophe': Russian power plant attack condemned

Ukrainian MP hits out at NATO inaction on Russian invasion

It comes as Ukrainian MP Inna Sovsun told LBC on Saturday morning: "What the West is doing is not enough."

She added: "It does feel like we are left alone to fight in this and we're betrayed by the West right now with our children being killed."

Ms Sovsun also referred to the 1994 set of security guarantees, saying: "We were given those assurances.

"If we had the nuclear weapon as of now, the situation would have been completely different.

"But we trusted the West to fulfil the promise and now we're just hearing excuses as to why it can't be done."

Nato has instead sent weapons, medical supplies and other military equipment to Ukraine as a way to help its close partner without getting directly involved.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Drivers queuing in Dover on Friday morning

Holidaymakers hit with 2-hour Dover ferry waits amid strong winds, as 2.6m hit the roads for Good Friday getaway

The attack happened on a train in south London

Teenager charged with attempted murder after south London train stabbing, with victim still in critical condition

Mother Natalie Pinnell

Mother left in tears after daughter with complex needs 'erased' from school photo

Amber Rudd and Mary Beard have both been nominated to the Garrick Club

Amber Rudd and Mary Beard among seven women nominated for membership of all-male Garrick Club

Exclusive
Anneliese Dodds said Labour would make sure local people have 'skin in the game' with tackling inequality

'Rebuild has to start from ground up,' Labour's Anneliese Dodds says, and 'local people must have skin in the game'

Mohamed Mansour has been awarded a knighthood

Conservatives accused of 'cronyism' after donor who gave £5 million awarded knighthood in surprise honours list

Exclusive
Justin Welby recalled his experience of coping with his father's drinking as a teenager.

‘It was utterly isolating’: Archbishop of Canterbury recalls harrowing childhood with alcoholic father

More than 2 million drivers are set to hit the road on Good Friday.

Easter Carmageddon: Over two million drivers to hit the road on Good Friday after Storm Nelson travel chaos

Michael Gove has slammed the water firm as a 'disgrace'.

Thames Water bosses branded a ‘disgrace’ as Michael Gove tells firm ‘not to punish consumers’ for its failings

South Africa Bus Crash

Girl, 8, the sole survivor as 45 die in bus crash off South Africa bridge

A spokesman has denied reports the sausage dog could be banned.

The wurst news is over: Germany denies claims of sausage dog ban

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

A council has had to apologise following the incident.

Fury as parents offered version of school class photo without complex needs pupils

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto