London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 15, 2026

Ukraine: A no-fly zone could go nuclear, warns Welsh minister

Ukraine: A no-fly zone could go nuclear, warns Welsh minister

Any Nato-imposed no-fly zone over Ukraine could escalate to "nuclear warfare", a Welsh minister has warned.

Labour Member of the Senedd Mick Antoniw is of Ukrainian descent and visited the country last week.

He said he thinks "most Ukrainians" see the risk of UK and Nato forces becoming "directly involved in the war".

But Mr Antoniw told the BBC's Walescast podcast that Ukraine needs more weapons from foreign countries to have "the capacity to fight".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to Western countries to set up a no-fly zone but the UK's defence secretary has rejected the idea, saying it would likely trigger a Europe-wide conflict.

In a news conference in Poland on Tuesday, a Ukrainian journalist confronted Boris Johnson, saying people in Ukraine "are desperately asking for the West to protect our sky. We are asking for a no-fly zone."

A no-fly zone over Ukraine would mean that military forces - specifically Nato forces - would have to engage directly with any Russian planes spotted in those skies and shoot at them if necessary.

Mick Antoniw (right) visited Ukraine last week


Asked on Walescast if he supported President Zelensky's call for a no-fly zone, the Welsh government's Counsel General Mr Antoniw said: "I think most Ukrainians recognise that for Nato to actually become directly involved in the war would then escalate it to potential nuclear warfare.

"So, what I'm hearing from most Ukrainians is that we need Stinger missiles, we need the ammunition, we need the capacity to fight, we need air defence systems, we need some of the radar communications technology.

"Although in the last month or two, more and more weaponry has been going to Ukraine, when you consider this situation's been developing for eight years, it is really, in many ways, too little, too late."

UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is reported to have warned his MPs that any of them who attempt to attack Nato or indulge in "false equivalence" with Russian aggression will be kicked out of the party.

A group of 11 Labour MPs from the left of the party, including Cynon Valley MP Beth Winter, removed their names from a statement by the Stop the War campaign group, which heavily criticises Nato, after being warned they risked losing the party whip.

Mr Antoniw, who is on the left of the Labour party, told the podcast he thinks left-wing politicians' attitudes to Nato have "already changed" in light of events in Ukraine.

He added: "The position that a number of people have held, the stop some wars sort of approach, I think has just lost all credibility. It has no basis in reality at the moment.

"Everyone that I associate with on the socialist left, I think, are fully behind Ukraine now and I think now recognise there has to be a defensive system."


Mark Drakeford wants to see more done by the UK to help refugees fleeing war in Ukraine

Watch: Ukrainian woman breaks down in tears during question to UK PM


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Doctors Warn Expanded Pharmacy First Scheme Could Put Patients at Risk
British Airlines Cut Short-Haul Capacity as Jet Fuel Costs Rise
UK News Publishers Forecast 40% Search Traffic Drop as AI Overviews Expand
Axel Springer Wins Approval for £575 Million Daily Telegraph Acquisition
London Mayor Sadiq Khan Opposes Heathrow Third Runway Over Climate Targets
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Leaders Hold Summit Seeking Greater Autonomy
UK Energy Price Cap Set to Rise to £1,723 in October
UK Treasury Warns Middle East Conflict Is Threatening Economic Growth
Labour Moves to Retrospectively Cap Overseas Political Donations After Reform UK Funding Surge
HMRC Warns Nearly Seven Million Adults Are Unclear About State Pension Entitlements
UK Parliament Passes Sovereign Grant Reform Before Conference Recess
British Rail Passengers Gain Automatic Right to Switch Operators During Disruptions
Burnham Hosts Downing Street Business Summit as UK Fiscal Pressure Builds
Labour Government Moves to Challenge £72 Million in Reform UK Crypto Donations
UK Advertising Industry Warns Wider Junk Food Rules Could Put £1 Billion in Media Spending at Risk
Cornwall Opens Devolution Talks With UK Government Over Transport and Local Services
UK Parliament Considers Sovereign Grant Reform Setting Royal Funding at £99.9 Million
Trades Union Congress Calls for Income-Based Energy Tariff Funded by Higher Bank Levy
UK Prime Minister Rejects Second Scottish Independence Referendum
House of Lords Begins Scrutiny of Bill to Lower UK Voting Age to 16
Anthropic Says Claude Was Exploited in Weapons-Related and State-Linked Cyber Activity
Institute of Directors Urges UK Government to Avoid Business Tax Increases in Autumn Budget
Rising Gilt Yields Cut UK Fiscal Headroom to About £13 Billion Ahead of Budget
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in July as Services and Technology Activity Strengthen
UK Government Promises Clearer Student Loan Guidance After Repayment Backlash
Charities Warn Unpaid Carers May Die Before Receiving Government Compensation
Dover Unrest Prompts Review of UK Counter-Extremism Strategy
Celtic Summit Leaders Reassert Right to Pursue Independence From UK
NHS Records Busiest Summer on Record Amid Severe Heatwaves
Harrods Faces Potential £150 Million Compensation Bill Over Al Fayed Abuse Claims
UK Parliament Opens Debate on Landmark Assisted Dying Legislation
Metropolitan Police Investigate Reform UK Over Alleged Foreign Electoral Donations
UK Economy Expands 0.4% in July as AI Investment Boosts Activity
Bank of England Signals Caution on Rates as Inflation Pressures Persist
Tesco Alerts Police After Scammers Use Its Branding in AI-Generated Fraud
Lindy Cameron Appointed First Female Permanent Under-Secretary at UK Foreign Office
UK Government to Rewrite Student Loan Guidance After Mis-Selling Criticism
Welsh First Minister Warns Andy Burnham Government to Respect Devolution
Trump’s Falkland Islands Remarks Trigger New Diplomatic Tension With Britain
Reform UK Receives Record £72 Million Donation From Cryptocurrency Billionaires
UK Bans Imports From Israeli West Bank Settlements and Sanctions Supporting Institutions
Bayeux Tapestry Draws Large Crowds at British Museum
Cuts to International Aid Raise Concerns Over Fragile Overseas Health Systems
UK Airlines and Logistics Operators Adjust Capacity as Fuel Costs Rise
UK Mortgage Arrears Edge Lower in Second Quarter
UK Government Advances New Devolution Offers for English Councils
UK Parliament Begins Debate on NHS Governance and Single Patient Record Reforms
Andy Burnham Launches Number 10 North Devolution Initiative
UK Parliament Rejects Assisted Dying Bill for Terminally Ill Adults
UK Bans Goods From Israeli Settlements in the Occupied West Bank
×