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A Ukrainian Parliament member expressed disappointment Wednesday with President Biden’s State of the Union address, calling for the United States and its allies to protect Ukrainian airspace from attacks by Russia.
“To be honest, probably all Ukrainians who had access to the internet from the bomb shelters were watching this address because our life depends on it,” Oleksandra Ustinova told “America’s Newsroom.”
“We aren’t asking for American soldiers to fight for us. We can do it on our own. We are asking to protect our sky. … This is a war. This is a public execution of Ukrainians in front of the whole world that everybody is watching 24/7. How our kids get killed, how our cities are being bombed and this is in the middle of Europe,” she told Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino.
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Ustinova directly referred to Biden making “clear” U.S. troops would not be engaged directly in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but instead, will defend NATO allies in the event Putin “decides to keep moving west.”
President Joe Biden delivers his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of Calif., look on. (Sarahbeth Maney/The New York Times via AP, Pool) (Sarahbeth Maney/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
Biden confronted Putin’s multi-front war on Ukraine during his first State of the Union address. He also exalted the leadership of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and noted the courage of the Ukrainian people “inspires the world.”
Furthermore, Biden addressed the economic sanctions the United States and allies have imposed on Russia, including efforts to cut off Russia’s largest banks and international financial system, and preventing Russia’s central bank from defending the Russian ruble.
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“We’re choking Russia’s access to technology that will sap its economic strength and weaken its military for years to come,” Biden said.
Ustinova said Ukraine was promised protection by the European Union after they gave up their nuclear weapons in the 90s but are not receiving adequate support.
Several buildings in Starobilsk within the Luhansk Oblast region of Ukraine show significant damage because of shelling, according to images shared by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. (State Emergency Service of Ukraine)
“What happens now? Nobody wants to even help us with the support to protect the sky, which means we need an air defense system to shut down the airplanes if they enter the Ukrainian space. Otherwise, we cannot protect ourselves from the bombs. We cannot protect our civilian population. We aren’t talking about the army bases. [Putin] is not bombing army bases anymore, he is targeting civilians. He wants to kill as many Ukrainians as he can, so we will negotiate,” Ustinova said.
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She said the United States and other countries’ sanctions were not effective because they do not include the energy sector, Putin’s primary way to finance his army. She called for a “total ban” and “sanctions on every bank that works with Putin.”
Hemmer asked whether she believes all major Ukrainian cities will be “leveled” in the coming weeks and months.
“I’m sure about it. … If we do not get the sky protection, this execution will continue until hundreds of thousands die.”
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Source: www.foxnews.com