Biden: US Will Close American Airspace to All Russian Flights, Aircraft
20220302
Evan Craighead
As the US continues to pursue a pressure campaign against Russia over the situation in Ukraine, foreign policy is expected to be a major topic in US President Joe Biden's first State of the Union address at the US Capitol building at 9 p.m. ET. The 46th president of the US was expected to take a hard stance against Moscow while flexing NATO unity.
Russian flights will no longer be permitted in American air space as the US continues to take aggressive actions to counter Moscow's recent military actions in Ukraine, Biden announced during his SOTU.
"We will join our allies in closing off American air space to all Russian flights-further isolating Russia-and adding an additional squeeze-on their economy," he announced, touting losses in Russian stocks and a decline in value for the Russian ruble.
The US Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration have since specified that orders blocking Russian aircraft and airlines from entering and using American airspace will take effect by the end of Wednesday.
The directive applies to all aircraft owned, certified, operated, registered, chartered, leased, or controlled by (or for the benefit of) any Russian citizen. Passenger and cargo planes are among the flights prohibited, "effectively closing U.S. air space to all Russian commercial air carriers and other Russian civil aircraft," the memo detailed.
"He has no idea what's coming," Biden said of Putin, claiming the Russian economy is "reeling" due to Putin alone.
The US president clarified that American forces will not be engaging in armed conflict within Ukraine, as they are stationed in Europe to provide assistance to NATO allies. US forces would only take up arms if NATO allies were attacked by Russian forces pushing further west, Biden said.
As the US continues to pursue a pressure campaign against Russia over the situation in Ukraine, foreign policy is expected to be a major topic in US President Joe Biden's first State of the Union address at the US Capitol building at 9 p.m. ET. The 46th president of the US was expected to take a hard stance against Moscow while flexing NATO unity.
Russian flights will no longer be permitted in American air space as the US continues to take aggressive actions to counter Moscow's recent military actions in Ukraine, Biden announced during his SOTU.
"We will join our allies in closing off American air space to all Russian flights-further isolating Russia-and adding an additional squeeze-on their economy," he announced, touting losses in Russian stocks and a decline in value for the Russian ruble.
The US Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration have since specified that orders blocking Russian aircraft and airlines from entering and using American airspace will take effect by the end of Wednesday.
The directive applies to all aircraft owned, certified, operated, registered, chartered, leased, or controlled by (or for the benefit of) any Russian citizen. Passenger and cargo planes are among the flights prohibited, "effectively closing U.S. air space to all Russian commercial air carriers and other Russian civil aircraft," the memo detailed.
"He has no idea what's coming," Biden said of Putin, claiming the Russian economy is "reeling" due to Putin alone.
The US president clarified that American forces will not be engaging in armed conflict within Ukraine, as they are stationed in Europe to provide assistance to NATO allies. US forces would only take up arms if NATO allies were attacked by Russian forces pushing further west, Biden said.
"Our airspace will be closed to every Russian plane—and that includes the private jets of oligarchs," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday.
Moscow responded to the move by announcing retaliatory airspace prohibitions against western-based air carriers earlier this week.
© Sputnik
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