Kuleba to partners: If you don't close airspace now, blood of Ukrainians will be on your hands

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on partners to close the airspace over Ukraine, otherwise the blood of Ukrainians killed by Russia will be on their hands.

Kuleba stated this in a joint broadcast of Ukrainian TV channels "We are strong together," according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"We say very clearly and calmly to our NATO partners that you can think as much as you want about how to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia, but if you do not help us stop it now, a direct confrontation will be inevitable because you will be next," Kuleba said.

In this context, he noted that those who believe that Russia will not dare to attack NATO countries should remember that they also did not believe in the Kremlin's plans to start a direct war with Ukraine.

"And everyone was wrong. That is why it is necessary to act now," Kuleba stressed.

He added that the issue of closing the skies over Ukraine is extremely relevant, and there are different scenarios. For example, it is possible to close not the whole airspace, but part of it, it is possible not to cover the sky, but to ensure the supply of combat aircraft and air defense systems to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"All the scenarios are now in progress. But everyone should understand, and we tell our partners clearly: 'We are grateful to you for everything you have done… But now there is a concrete threat that our citizens will continue to be killed from the air… So if you do not take radical steps to strengthen the air force defense of Ukraine, the blood of our dead citizens will be on your hands. Your restraint and your unwillingness to take the next steps - all this gives Russia the opportunity to continue the killings without punishment," the foreign minister said.

Ukrinform reported earlier that the White House said the introduction by the United States of a no-fly zone in Ukraine is "not the best idea" because it would involve the United States in a direct military conflict with Russia.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops are shelling and destroying key infrastructure, conducting massive shelling of residential areas of Ukrainian cities and villages using artillery, multiple launch rocket systems and ballistic missiles.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

Ukraine officially filed a lawsuit against the Russian Federation to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan launched an investigation into the situation in Ukraine.

Thirty-eight countries sent a joint appeal to the ICC to investigate Russia's war crimes in Ukraine.