1. A no-fly zone

This is at the top of Zelensky’s wish list — and a nonstarter for the United States and NATO.

To President Biden, setting up a no-fly zone is too similar to sending U.S. troops to Ukraine to fight Russia.

A no-fly zone bans aircraft in a specified area. But someone needs to be able to enforce it. So if NATO imposes a no-fly zone over Ukraine, NATO would be responsible for patrolling the area and possibly shooting down Russian planes that enter it, which would risk pulling the United States and its allies directly into the war.

“It is combat,” said John Kirby, a spokesman for the Pentagon, describing to ABC how he participated in enforcing a no-fly zone decades ago. “You have to be willing to shoot and to be shot at.”

“That’s a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another,” Biden has said. And most members of Congress agree with him that taking such a step to try to end Ukraine’s war could create a wider one.

2. Fighter jets

“If you can’t do [a no-fly zone], at least get me planes,” Zelensky told members of Congress in a recent call. He repeated that request Wednesday.

This ask is slightly more plausible than a no-fly zone, but only slightly.

3. More missiles to shoot down Russian planes

If the no-fly zone is too much to ask, Zelensky told Congress on Wednesday, “we offer an alternative.”

He wants the West to give Ukraine ground-based missiles and defense systems to shoot down Russian aircraft.

And that, he’ll get. Hours after Zelensky spoke, Biden said the United States is giving Ukraine long-range antiaircraft systems and drones to help Ukraine keep shooting down Russian planes — part of $1 billion in new aid this week.

4. Keep choking off Russia economically

On this, the United States and its allies are happy to oblige.