TRUDEAU SAYS CANADA, NATO NEED TO AVOID ALL-OUT WAR WITH RUSSIA

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday his government does not want to see an escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian war that would pull NATO forces into "direct conflict" with Russia in eastern Europe.

Speaking to reporters at a transit announcement in Mississauga, Ont., Trudeau said Canada and its allies are focused on delivering economic body-blows to the Russian economy as payback for the invasion — and are not going to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

A NATO-enforced no-fly zone would mean Western forces would be responsible for keeping Russian warplanes out of the skies over Ukraine. That could result in direct combat between NATO forces and the Russian military — a dramatic escalation of the war.

So far, Western countries like Canada have been imposing sanctions and sending lethal aid to help the Ukrainians carry out their own fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin and his troops.