Stop Calling It a ‘No-Fly Zone,’ Start Calling it a ‘Declaration To Go To War Against Russia’ Says Ex-Ambassador on MSNBC

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul told MSNBC’s Katy Tur on Tuesday that he does not support a no-fly zone over Ukraine and believes that anyone advocating for one should call it what it really is a willingness to “declare war.”

“I disagree with Alex. I think a no-fly zone is the wrong move. I support the president of the United States on that,” McFaul began the segment, referencing Alexander Vindman who is calling for a no-fly zone.

“Let’s just get rid of this euphemism ‘no-fly zone,’” McFaul argued. “Call it for what it is. It is war. If we try to implement a no-fly zone, that means that an American pilot has to shoot down a Russian pilot.”

“And if we do that, that is a declaration of war and Vladimir Putin has been clear that that is the way he sees it. And if the American people want to go to war with Russia, I think it would be a mistake, but if we’re prepared to do it, then we should have a vote in the U.S. Congress,” he continued.

“Because the Congress is supposed to declare war. That is what we need to do first,” McFaul added, before doubling down on the need to stop referring to it as a no-fly zone:

We should stop calling it a no-fly zone and we should start calling it a declaration to go to war and I don’t think that that is the right thing to do right now. Everything short of that I support 100%. Every weapon system on the planet that we can send to them, but I do not think that it is smart to send American soldiers to fight Putin soldiers.

“What about this idea of a limited no-fly zone, one that protects humanitarian routes? “ Tur then asked.

“Again, those are my friends that put that letter out. I chose not to sign that letter,” McFaul said, referencing a letter from 27 foreign policy experts calling for a limited no-fly zone over Ukraine.

“I’ve signed other ones with them. I chose not to do this now. If you could get a guarantee blessed by the United Nations with Russia and Ukraine all together that we all recognize those corridors as being free and safe, then we should consider it. But we haven’t done that yet,” McFaul continued.

“And so I just think that — I don’t think that we should go to war with Russia right now. Everything else, yes. I’m not prepared to go to that level along with my colleagues,” he concluded.

Watch the full clip above via MSNBC