Ukrainian president Zelenskiy asked for a no-fly zone to be implemented in a live video address to Congress today. He was passionate and purposeful in his pathos-laden appeal for meaningful assistance in fighting the Russian army, especially their jet fighters that now rule the sky above his country. When he concluded he received a standing ovation from his remote-viewing political audience.

Then, our president conducted a brief podium appearance with his response. That no-fly zone? Uh, that’s a hard NO Vlad. But we’ll keep finding new sanctions, and send weapons that your military can use to defend the Ukraine sky, plus several hundred million more dollars. But he did not even mention the no-fly zone, while asserting the Ukraine struggle will be a “protracted” affair. That had to be a profound disappointment to Zelenskiy and the people of Ukraine. I mean, Z was emphatic about the need for that no-fly zone. And of course he knows why the West won’t agree to provide that strategy: that could mean WW3. Which is what NATO was designed to avoid. And your country, Vlad, is so NOT a member of NATO. But if you WERE a member, we’d start that war and the threat of nukes be damned!

Or something along the lines of that cold-hearted looping logic.

And in addition to the sanctions, etc, our president now refers to Putin as “a war criminal”. How about that?! We’ve unleased the harsh language option. Does that help your struggle?

Thus, Ukraine, it’s three weeks and counting, and your people are so brave, but it’s going to go on for a while longer. You know. Protracted. As in, until Putin gets the job done, possibly. Because you are David. Russia is Goliath and good luck chopping off his head. But then maybe. Just maybe. We’ll keep supplying the high-tech stones, you can count on that. But not that no-fly zone. And without a direct aerial counterforce, your country may have to become used to living in bunkers and basements. But again, we stand with you. And again, it’s only because we’re scared shitless of the nukes that Russia has. Nukes! Egad! Who created these horrific things? Oh, right. We did. And we have almost as many nukes as Russia. And we have the biggest badass nuke of them all. That we don’t want to EVER use, and likely we wouldn’t have to, because of, you know, M.A.D. You see how we’re kinda left with no choice but to provide guns and money, but you aren’t worth risking WW3 nuclear holocaust end of days for. Even though most expert analysts doubt Putin is willing to sign his own death warrant. That would be MADness. He holds all the cards, see? But if he invades a NATO country, we call his bluff. Okay?

Life is tough, straight up. Oh, but of course you already know that and you are one bunch of tough motherfuckers, you Ukrainians! The world admires your grit and guts. But we just can’t risk…and NATO… and nukes…and…and…