London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 16, 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
The Great Western Exit: Why Best Citizens Are Fleeing the Rich World [PODCAST]
The New Robber Barons of Intelligence: Are AI Bosses More Powerful Than Rockefeller?
The End of the Old Order [Podcast]
Britain’s Democracy Is Now a Costume
The AI Gold Rush Is Coming for America’s Last Open Spaces [Podcast]
The Pentagon’s AI Squeeze: Eight Tech Giants Get In, Anthropic Gets Shut Out [Podcast]
The War Map: Professor Jiang’s Dark Theory of Iran, Trump, China, Russia, Israel, and the Coming Global Shock [Podcast]
Labour Is No Longer a National Party [Podcast]
AI Isn’t Stealing Your Job. It’s Dismantling It Piece by Piece.
Lawyers vs Engineers: Why China Builds While America Litigates [Podcast]
Churchill’s Glass: The Drunk, the Doctor, and the Myth Britain Refuses to Sober Up From
Apple issues an unusual warning: this is how your iPhone can be hacked without you doing anything
Kennedy’s Quiet War on Antidepressants Sparks Alarm Across America’s Medical Establishment
The Met Gala Meets the Age of Billionaire Backlash
Russian Oligarch’s Superyacht Crosses Hormuz via Iran-Controlled Route
Gunfire Disrupts White House Correspondents’ Dinner as Trump Is Evacuated
A Leak, a King, and a Fracturing Alliance
Inside the Gates Foundation Turmoil: Layoffs, Scrutiny, and the Cost of Reputational Risk
UK Biobank Breach Exposes Health Data of 500,000, Listed for Sale on Chinese Platform
KPMG Cuts Around 10% of US Audit Partners After Failed Exit Push
French Police Probe Suspected Weather-Data Tampering After Unusual Polymarket Bets on Paris Temperatures
CATL Unveils Revolutionary EV Battery Tech: 1000 km Range and 7-Minute Charging Ahead of Beijing Auto Show
Crypto Scammers Capitalize on Maritime Chaos Near the Strait of Hormuz: A Rising Threat to Shipping Companies
Changi Airport: How Singapore Engineered the World’s Most Efficient Travel Experience
Power Dynamics: Apple’s Leadership Shakeup, Geopolitical Risks in the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe's Energy Strategy Amidst Global Challenges
Apple's Leadership Transition: Can New CEO John Ternus Navigate AI Challenges and Geopolitical Pressures?
Italy’s €100K Tax Gambit: Europe’s Soft Power Tax Haven
News Roundup
Microsoft lost 2.5 millions users (French government) to Linux
Privacy Problems in Microsoft Windows OS
News roundup
Péter András Magyar and the Strategic Reset of Hungary
Hungary After the Landslide — A Strategic Reset in Europe
Meghan Markle Plans Exclusive Women-Focused Retreat During Australia Visit
Starmer and Trump Hold Strategic Talks on Securing Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Unofficial Australia Visit by Prince Harry and Meghan Expected to Stir Tensions with Royal Circles
Pipeline Attack Cuts Significant Share of Saudi Arabia’s Oil Export Capacity
UK Stocks Rise on Ceasefire Momentum and Renewed Focus on Diplomacy
UK to Hold Further Strategic Talks on Strait of Hormuz Security
Starmer Voices Frustration as Global Tensions Drive Up UK Energy Costs
UK Students Voice Concern Over Proposal for Automatic Military Draft Registration
Rising Volatility Drives Uncertainty in UK Fuel and Petrol Prices
UK Moves to Deploy ‘Skyhammer’ Anti-Drone System to Strengthen Airspace Defense
New Analysis Explores UK Budget Mechanics in ‘Behind the Blue’ Feature
Man Arrested After Four Die in Channel Crossing Tragedy
UK Tightens Immigration Framework with New Sponsor Rules and Fee Increases
UK Foreign Secretary Highlights Impact of Intensified Strikes in Lebanon
UK Urges Inclusion of Lebanon in US-Iran Ceasefire Framework
UK Stocks Ease as Ceasefire Doubts in Middle East Weigh on Investor Confidence
UK Reassesses Cloud Strategy Amid Criticism Over Limited Support Measures
×