NO FLY ZONE

Russian Airlines Blocked From Entering West By European Airspace Bans

By the end of the weekend, Russia will be banned from entering the airspace of most countries along the EU's eastern border.

Several European countries—Austria, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Ireland and Iceland—have moved to ban Russian airlines from their airspace. Sweden, Finland, and Denmark are preparing to do so, and Germany, France, and the Netherlands will be closing their airspace later Sunday afternoon and evening. Nearly all of the countries along the EU’s eastern borders will have closed their airspace borders to Russia by the end of the weekend, blocking Russians from entering the West.

“Our European skies are open skies. They're open for those who connect people, not for those who seek to brutally aggress,” Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo wrote on Twitter. Swedish EU Minister Hans Dahlgren told a Swedish radio station that it was “absolutely necessary” to pursue “measures to isolate Russia” as it continues its aggression against Ukraine. Canada has also joined the growing list of European countries blocking Russian airlines.