The "Sky Shield" proposal is a plan to deploy approximately 120 European fighter jets over Ukraine to protect Ukrainian airspace from Russian attacks. This initiative would operate independently of NATO and focus on defending key areas such as Kyiv, three nuclear power plants, Odesa, and Lviv, but would not cover the front lines or eastern regions.

The proposal has gained renewed attention in 2025 after initial discussions in previous years. If implemented, it would represent a significant escalation in Western military support for Ukraine, moving beyond the provision of equipment to direct air defense operations by European forces.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/06/european-led-ukraine-air-protection-plan-could-halt-russian-missile-attacks

Several factors may influence the outcome: