German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejects Zelensky's plea for NATO to intercept Russian missiles over Ukraine
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's plea to Western allies to use their weaponry to shoot down Russian missiles and drones over Ukrainian territory, reports the German news agency dpa.
At a press conference following the European Political Community summit in Woodstock, UK, where Volodymyr Zelensky was also present, Scholz once again rejected Zelensky's request to lift restrictions on using Western weapons for strikes on Russian territory.
When asked whether other NATO countries share this stance, Olaf Scholz emphasized, "I observe a consensus that such steps are out of the question. The United States also has a very clear position on this matter"
Volodymyr Zelensky took the opportunity to address the European Political Community summit, urging Kyiv's allies to enhance their support in the war against Russia, particularly by shooting down Russian missiles and drones over Ukrainian territory. "A collective will is needed to shoot them down - just like it was with Iranian missiles and drones (over Israel)," he said.
In April, an Iranian attack on Israel involving over 300 missiles and drones was thwarted with the assistance of US aircraft and air defence systems, along with British and French involvement.
Ukraine had called on NATO countries to establish a no-fly zone over its territory at the onset of full-scale Russian aggression in 2022. The alliance declined, instead promising to equip the Ukrainian military with air defence systems.
As Russian aerial attacks persist into 2024, causing significant damage to energy infrastructure since March, Ukraine has repeatedly urged for anti-aircraft systems to shoot down Russian missiles and drones from NATO territories.
Recently, Poland put forward a similar proposal to protect airspace over Western Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg rejected the proposal. "We will not become a party to the conflict. While we support Ukraine in its fight against Russian military aviation, NATO will not directly participate," he stated.