EU leader says closing Ukraine airspace could spark world war

PARIS — European Union leader Charles Michel says closing Ukraine’s airspace could spark a world war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called on NATO countries to stop the Russian onslaught on his country by imposing a no-fly zone.

Western leaders have refused for fear of triggering a wider war in Europe. Deploying fighter jets over Ukraine could “in current circumstances” be considered as “NATO’s entry into the war and therefore risk World War III,” Michel says in an interview with the public broadcaster France Inter.

Michel denies economic sanctions against Russia constitute “a war of the EU or NATO against Russia.” Russian President Vladimir Putin has linked the West’s economic punishment for his invasion of Ukraine to “declaring war” on Moscow.

Michel says European and American allies imposed sanctions “to create pressure and hurt the (Russian) regime,” not the people.