World News: Europe and Canada move to close skies to Russian planes – Gulf Digital News

World News: Europe and Canada move to close skies to Russian planes – Gulf Digital News

European nations and Canada moved on Sunday to shut their airspace to Russian aircraft, an unprecedented step aimed at pressuring President Vladimir Putin to end his invasion of Ukraine, the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two.

Aeroflot said it would cancel all flights to European destinations after EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the European Union had decided to close its airspace to Russian traffic.

The United States is considering similar action, but has yet to make a final decision, according to US officials. The US government said citizens should consider leaving Russia immediately on commercial flights, citing an increasing number of airlines cancelling flights as countries closed their airspace to Russia.

The ban on Russian jets comes as the airline industry continues to grapple with the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic that is still undermining global demand for travel.

Germany, Spain and France joined Britain, the Nordics and Baltic states in declaring bans on Russian use of their airspace, a major escalation in a tactic by mostly NATO allies to wage economic war against Putin in retaliation for the invasion.

The West, led by the United States, also unveiled sweeping new financial sanctions on Russia.

Russia is now widely