Zelensky’s warning to airlines is understandable — any government that’s escalating strikes has a responsibility to alert civil aviation and try to prevent a catastrophe. Notifying ICAO was the right, transparent move. At the same time this is a dangerous moment: the more the fighting is pushed onto Russian territory, the greater the risk of miscalculation, civilian harm, and a broader regional escalation. Putin’s theatrics calling it “state terrorism” are predictable propaganda; he started this war and has repeatedly targeted civilians and infrastructure in Ukraine. That doesn’t mean Ukrainian tactics shouldn’t be scrutinized. Progressives should support Ukraine’s right to defend itself and to disrupt an aggressor’s war-making capacity, but we must also insist Ukraine (and all parties) follow international humanitarian law and avoid strikes that knowingly endanger civilians. Airlines, insurers and governments should prioritize safety and absorb reasonable costs to reroute flights rather than gamble with lives. Meanwhile the international community needs to double down on two things: material and air-defence support for Ukraine to reduce the need for risky retaliation, and urgent diplomatic efforts — backed by enforceable measures for accountability and protections for civilians — to move toward de-escalation. The only long-term solution is to stop the war, not spread it.