US senators fear Ukraine conflict could spiral into US-Russian war

US senators are worried about the spiraling Russian conflict with Ukraine, fearing it could eventually lead to a direct confrontation between the United States and Russia.

According to a report, published on Monday by the Washington-based The Hill newspaper, the senators said they support President Joe Biden’s decision of not enforcing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, fearing that such moves could spark a global war. 

“This is the most dangerous moment since the Cuban missile crisis,” warned Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee. 

“We have never been this close to direct conflict with Russia,” added Murphy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked the US to establish "no-fly zones" to protect Ukraine from Russian airstrikes.

Some US lawmakers have also pushed for establishing the no-fly zone over Ukraine, something Biden has dismissed because of the risk of “a potential direct war with Russia.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any attempt to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine would lead to catastrophic consequences for the world.

Senator Murphy along with other senators has rejected calls for US fighter jets to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine. 

He noted that the United States never overtly supported insurgents who battled with Soviet troops in Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan in the 1950s, 1960s and 1980s.

Murphy also underlined that US support for mujahedeen fighters in Afghanistan who successfully fought off a Soviet invasion was done covertly through the CIA.   

“We made the right decision to openly support the Ukrainians, but we just should understand the unprecedented moment that we’re living in today where we’re openly funding war against a nuclear power,” he said. 

Murphy made his comments as Congress passed $13.6 billion in aid to Ukraine. About half that amount will go to the Pentagon to replace equipment that has already been sent to Ukrainian armed forces. 

Biden: NATO-Russia clash would risk World War III

US President Joe Biden has reiterated that the United States and its NATO allies would not fight Russia in Ukraine, saying such a scenario will kick start "World War III."

Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) said he was among those worried the conflict could escalate to a direct fight between American and Russian forces.

“Of course, of course, is there anybody in this building who’s not concerned about that? Because if there is, there’s going to be a recall effort,” he said. 

“It’s a delicate, delicate dance. You’ve got to really be thoughtful because the man we’re dealing with doesn’t appear to be the same person we were dealing with five years ago,” he said, referring to President Putin. “And I’m not sure I’ve heard anybody who feels confident that they can predict what his response will be to any action we may take.”

“We’ve got to be very, very careful,” he added.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters Tuesday that he doesn’t want to send American fighter jets to defend Ukrainian airspace. 

“There are a number of ways to potentially have an impact in the sky. Stingers, drones and airplanes — and we just discussed the possibility of getting these Russian-era MiGs out of Poland and into Ukraine,” he said, referring to a proposal to send US aircraft to Poland to replace Soviet-era fighters sent to Ukraine.

“But I don’t think any NATO country, certainly not ours, is prepared to directly engage with Russians over Ukraine,” he cautioned. 

Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) warned the Russian military operation in Ukraine could easily escalate into a much bigger war. 

“I, like most people here, fortunately, don’t want to have US troops directly involved and will do everything to oppose that,” he said. 

“There’s always a danger of escalating it,” he said. “The main thing is that we need to be very conscious that rational, sound voices are thinking through what we do before we do it.”

“I would say the rhetoric on television and amongst a lot of members of Congress is overly emotional and not soundly reasoned and thoughtful. That’s what you require if you don’t want to get into a world war,” he added.  

President Putin on February 24 ordered a “special military operation” in Ukraine’s Donbas region. Putin said his country was defending Russian-speaking communities through the "demilitarisation and de-Nazification" of Ukraine so that their neighbor became neutral and no longer threatened Russia.

Trump: Biden's failure to end Ukraine conflict ‘could lead to World War III’

Trump says Biden’s failure to end the Ukraine conflict “could lead to World War III.”

US President Joe Biden, however, called the Russian action an "unprovoked and unjustified attack," and the mainstream American media described it as the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two attack by Russia.

The United States has provided Ukraine with several hundred million in additional military assistance.

Biden authorized the $200 million additional military equipment for Ukraine on Saturday.

Washington already authorized $350 million of military equipment on February 26, after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the State Department was releasing "lethal defensive assistance" from US stocks to Ukraine.

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