Stoltenberg Admits NATO Will Not Initiate World War III on Ukraine’s Behalf: Reports
NATO’s former secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg told Western media that he refused Volodymyr Zelensky’s February 2022 plea for a no-fly zone over Ukraine because it would have meant striking Russian and Belarusian air-defences — a step that would have triggered a direct war with NATO.
“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,” Stoltenberg said — adding Biden’s decision was the same: “we will not risk a third world war for Ukraine.”