U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, on a visit to Ukraine, says he will provide policy options for Washington with a better understanding about what is happening on the front lines of Kyiv's battle against Russia-backed separatists. Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on August 24, Mattis said that, while a decision is still under review, providing defensive weapons to Ukraine should not be seen as provocative "unless you are an aggressor."
Mattis emphasizes U.S. support, says considering lethal weapons:
By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has accused Russia of seeking to "redraw international borders by force" and reiterated that Washington "won’t accept" Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.
Mattis made the comments in Kyiv on August 24, the 26th anniversary of Ukraine’s declaration of independence from the Soviet Union.
"Have no doubt," he said at a joint news conference with President Petro Poroshenko. "The United States stands with Ukraine."
Mattis said that he was actively reviewing the possibility of the United States providing lethal weapons to Ukraine and will inform President Donald Trump about his position on the issue.
He also said that the United States is committed to diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where fighting between Kyiv's forces and Russia-backed separatists has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014. (w/AP, Reuters, Interfax)
In today's Daily Vertical, Brian Whitmore talks about why Ukrainian independence matters:
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