Zelenskyy addresses Congress: Ukraine president makes case for no-fly zone, sanctions

In an impassioned speech before the U.S. Congress Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked that America close the skies over his country, tighten sanctions on Russia and send more weapons.

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In a 22-minute speech, Zelenskyy evoked images of a sky black with airplanes attacking Pearl Harbor and the World Trade Center, asked Congress to consider upping sanctions against Russia, closing U.S. ports to its goods and making sure that no U.S. businesses continue to do business in Russia.

Here is what he asked for:

1. A no-fly zone

Zelenskyy repeated his call for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, something that President Joe Biden has continued to say he would not support.

“To create a no-fly zone over Ukraine, to save people, is this too much to ask? Humanitarian, no-fly zone — something that Russia would not be able to [use to] terrorize our free cities.

Biden said last week that a no-fly zone would lead to World War III.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday that a “no-fly” zone could lead to a broader and deadlier conflict.

“A no-fly zone, which people often shorthand, essentially means us shooting down Russian planes and them potentially shooting us,” Psaki said at her daily briefing.

The president “continues to believe that a no-fly zone would be escalatory,” Psaki said.

“What we have the responsibility to do here is to assess what the impact is on the United States and our own national security,” Psaki said. “A no-fly zone is escalatory and could promote a war with Russia, a major nuclear power.”

2. More and better defenses and aircraft

Zelenskyy said that if NATO would not declare a no-fly zone, Ukraine needed more and better defense systems.

“If this is too much to ask, we offer an alternative (to a no-fly zone). You know what kind of defense systems we need, such as 300 and similar other systems. You know how much depends on the battlefield, on the ability to use aircraft. Powerful, strong aviation to protect our people, our freedom, our land.”

A growing number of lawmakers have called on the Biden administration to provide Ukraine with more advanced weapon systems and fighter jets help defend against Russia’s missile attacks.

The call for more planes comes after a deal with Poland to send its Russian-made aircraft to Ukraine was canceled even after Secretary of State Antony Blinken told “Face the Nation” last week that the Polish government had “a green light” for sending planes to Ukraine.

After Poland offered to deploy the MiG-29 jets to Ramstein Air Base, and “place them at the disposal” of the U.S., the Pentagon rejected the proposal, saying it is not a “tenable one.”

3. More sanctions on Russia

Zelenskyy asked the U.S. to impose more sanctions on Russia and its leaders and to add to those sanctions “every week until the Russian military machine stops.”

In addition, he called for sanctions on “all politicians in the Russian Federation who do not cut ties with those responsible for aggression against Ukraine,” and to close U.S. ports to all Russian goods.

The U.S. has levied sanctions against specific people in Russia, in addition to hitting its banking system — strong measures designed to paralyze the country’s economy.

In place now is a ban on the export from Russia of luxury items, a ban on certain U.S. imports of goods to Russia, the denial of borrowing privileges, and a proposed revocation of Russia’s most-favored nation status within the World Trade Organization.

4. All U.S. businesses to leave Russia

Zelenskyy asked lawmakers to urge any businesses owners in their districts who are still doing business in Russia to pull out of the country.

“All American companies must leave Russia from their market, leave their market immediately, because it is flooded with our blood. Ladies and gentlemen, members of Congress, please take the lead, if you have companies in your districts who finance the Russian military machine leaving business in Russia, you should put pressure. I’m asking to make sure that the Russians do not receive a single penny that they use to destroy people in Ukraine,” Zelensky said.

Since the Feb. 24 invasion, companies such as Visa, Mastercard, Western Union, Coca-Cola, Citigroup, PepsiCo and Yum Brands — which owns restaurant chains such as KFC and Pizza Hut — have announced they would stop doing business in Russia.

Other U.S. businesses have stayed in the country.

Below is Zelenskyy’s speech.

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