Ukrainian activist breaks down in tears as she confronts PM about lack of no-fly zone

A Ukrainian broke down in tears as she made an emotional plea directly to Boris Johnson for the UK to help establish a no-fly zone above the skies of her homeland.

Daria Kaleniuk confronted the prime minister at a news conference, in Poland’s capital Warsaw, as she explained how her family and work colleagues remained at threat from the Russian invasion.

“You are talking about the stoicism of Ukrainian people,” she told Mr Johnson.

Ukraine-Russia news live: Johnson visits Poland and Estonia to show support for NATO allies

“But Ukrainian women and Ukrainian children are in deep fear because of bombs and missiles which are coming from the sky.

“Ukrainian people are desperately asking for the West to protect our sky. We are asking for the no-fly zone.

“You are saying in response it will trigger World War Three, but what is the alternative?

“To observe how our children – instead of planes – are protecting NATO from the missiles and bombs?

“What’s the alternative to the no-fly zone?”

Ms Kaleniuk described how NATO planes were currently in Poland and Romania as she urged the alliance to “at least” consider putting an air shield above western Ukraine, in order to allow women and children to travel to their country’s borders and seek sanctuary.

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She highlighted how the UK had provided security assurances to Ukraine as part of a 1994 memorandum signed in Budapest.

And she also questioned why Mr Johnson had travelled to Poland on Tuesday and not Ukraine.

“Because you are afraid, because NATO is not willing to defend, because NATO is afraid of World War Three,” Ms Kaleniuk added.

“But it has already started and it is Ukrainian children who are there taking the hit.”

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Ms Kaleniuk, who is executive director of Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Action Centre, asked why more Russian oligarchs – and their family members – were not being sanctioned by the West.

“You are talking about more sanctions, prime minister, but [Chelsea football club owner] Roman Abramovich is not sanctioned,” she told Mr Johnson.

“He is in London, his children are not in the bombardments, his children are there in London.

“Putin’s children are in the Netherlands, in Germany, in mansions. Where are all these mansions seized? I don’t see that.

“I see my family members and my team members, I see that we are crying.”

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In response, the PM told Ms Kaleniuk he was “acutely conscious that there is not enough that we can do, as the UK government, to help in the way that you want”.

“I’ve got to be honest about that,” Mr Johnson, as he reiterated his opposition to NATO forces trying to establish air control over Russia above Ukraine.

“When you talk about the no fly zone, as I said to [Ukrainian president] Volodymyr Zelenskyy… unfortunately the implication of that is the UK will be engaged in shooting down Russian planes, would be engaged in direct combat with Russia.

“That is not something that we can do or that we’ve envisaged. I think the consequences of that will be truly very, very difficult to control.”

Mr Johnson also reiterated his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression against Ukraine was “doomed to fail”.

“It will be extremely difficult for him to continue on the path that he is on,” he said.

“In the meantime, as you rightly say, there is going to be a period of suffering for the people of Ukraine for which Putin and Putin alone is responsible.

“He’s taken a decision that many people around the world find absolutely inexplicable as well as inexcusable.

“It will take time, I’m afraid, for us to come through this period.

“All we can do in the meantime is help people like your crew and your family to get out, to get to safety, help them with all the humanitarian support that we can provide, help them to come to the UK and we certainly will.

“But I cannot pretend to you that this is something the UK can fix by military means and I think it would be wrong of me to do so.”

However, the PM did suggest that Mr Putin’s “misadventure” had galvanised fresh thinking on European security – as he highlighted Germany’s decision to boost defence spending, as the EU’s promise to supply arms to Ukraine.

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