Politics
13:18, 24-Aug-2017
Pentagon chief in Kiev as Ukraine seeks battlefield weapons
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US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Kiev, Ukraine Wednesday for talks on expanding US support for the country's military in its fight against rebels.
Kiev is hoping for more lethal weaponry from the US, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons to push back the well-armed separatists who have occupied large parts of eastern Ukraine.
Although the US military has supported the move, categorizing the proposed weapons as "defensive" in nature, President Donald Trump has yet to approve it, amid fears it could escalate the conflict.
In meetings with Ukrainian Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak and President Petro Poroshenko on Thursday, Mattis is instead expected to promise to continue non-lethal support and reiterate the US's rejection of Russia's annexation of the Crimea peninsula in 2014.
People visit an exhibition of Ukrainian military equipment in central Kiev on Aug 23, 2017, a day before the anniversary of Ukrainian independence. /AFP Photo
People visit an exhibition of Ukrainian military equipment in central Kiev on Aug 23, 2017, a day before the anniversary of Ukrainian independence. /AFP Photo
But Ukraine's government still holds out hope for better weapons from the US.
"From the first day of the Russian aggression, we appealed to all countries of the world to help us in the form of lethal weapons. Only Lithuania has given us such help so far," Poltorak told journalists in Kiev on Wednesday.
"We continue to wait and are ready to receive lethal weapons. But it's not our decision, it's that of our partner countries. We very much hope for such support."
Ukrainian Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak/ Photo via Ministry of Defence of Ukraine
Ukrainian Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak/ Photo via Ministry of Defence of Ukraine
On Monday Poroshenko spoke with optimism about his upcoming discussions with Mattis.
"I am sure that these negotiations will have an extremely important value for strengthening the defence capacity of our state. Because a friend in need is a friend indeed".
Mattis will join Poroshenko on Thursday in celebrating the 26th anniversary of Ukraine's independence from Russia.
Ukraine's current government has sought to align itself with the NATO alliance and will be seeking to strengthen cooperation in that regard.
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Source(s): AFP