Agency Report

Italy said Sunday it would close its airspace to Russia flights, and urged all European Union countries to do the same.

“Italy has decided to close its airspace to Russia,” Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Twitter, confirming earlier comments from a government spokesman.

“I will support a common action of all EU countries: that the whole EU closes its airspace to Russia”, he added.

Several European nations, including Sweden, Germany and Belgium have already announced a ban on Russian flights in their airspace, as Western nations ramp up punishments against Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine.

AFP