Ukraine vows to keep airspace open despite tensions - BBC News

Ukraine is taking moves to keep its airspace open after KLM became the first major airline to suspend flights to the capital Kyiv.

It comes as tensions over Russia's military build-up on Ukraine's border intensify despite diplomatic efforts to ease the situation.

Ukraine said it was ready to assume financial obligations for flight safety in the country's airspace.

Other airlines could follow KLM because of the rising insurance costs.

Ukraine's deputy head of the office of the president, Kirill Tymoshenko, said at the weekend that the country was willing to underwrite some of the costs.

He wrote in a Facebook post: "Ukraine is ready to make financial commitments for the safety of aircraft in the Ukrainian sky.