US ready to provide more lethal weapons to Ukraine
(Baonghean.vn) - In an interview with The Guardian on August 31, US Special Envoy for Ukraine Kurt Volker said that Washington will provide more lethal weapons to Kiev, to help this Eastern European country strengthen its naval and air forces to deal with what they call the threat from Russia.
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| US Special Envoy for Ukraine Kurt Volker. Photo: AP |
And in that context, it is natural for Ukraine to strengthen its military and its defenses, it is natural for them to seek support, and it is natural for other countries to help them. Of course, they need support with lethal weapons because they are under attack."
Kiev and Washington are talking about “naval capabilities, because, as you know, their navy is basically held by the Russians,” Volker added. “So they need to rebuild their navy. They also have limited air capabilities. I think we need to look at air defense.”
Earlier this year, the US Congress passed a defense budget bill that included $250 million in military aid to Ukraine in 2019.
Congress previously voted to pass the bill, but the Obama administration vetoed it over concerns about escalating tensions with Russia. Last December, the Trump administration lifted the restriction and approved the transfer of lethal weapons to Kiev.
Russia has repeatedly warned that the US is "crossing the line" by providing lethal weapons to Ukraine, saying Washington is almost pushing Kiev into "new bloodshed".
Moscow also warned Washington about the consequences of supplying weapons to Ukraine, saying that the weapons would provoke "aggression" by Ukrainian nationalists, who are seeking to launch a new bloodshed in the conflict-ridden eastern region of this Eastern European country./.
