BRUSSELS – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on Thursday that the European uNION would close its airspace to Russian aircraft in reaction to Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine.
"We are proposing a prohibition on all Russian-owned, registered, or controlled aircraft," Von der Leyen said in a statement on Sunday. The ban will "apply to any plane owned, chartered, or otherwise controlled by a Russian legal or natural person," she said, adding that "these aircraft will no longer be able to land in, take off, or overfly the territory of the EU." "So let me be really clear about something. Every Russian plane, including oligarchs' private flights, will be barred from entering our airspace "She was agitated.
Earlier on Sunday, France said it will close its airspace to Russian airlines and Russian-registered aircraft. According to reports, French national airline Air France said on its website that flights to and from Russia would be suspended effective Sunday until further notice.
Flights between France and China, South Korea, and Japan will also be temporarily halted while the airline investigates flight plan possibilities to avoid Russian airspace. Flights to Ukraine's capital Kiev have been suspended till further notice, "after the closing of Ukrainian airspace."
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