[Albert]

USNews

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV and DAVID McHUGH, Associated Press

Ukraine's president is thankful for the U.S. decision to provide his nation with lethal weapons, while Russian diplomats and lawmakers are expressing dismay, warning it will only fuel hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

MOSCOW (AP) — Ukraine's president on Saturday thanked the U.S. for its decision to provide his nation with lethal weapons, while Russian diplomats and lawmakers expressed dismay, warning that it will only fuel hostilities in eastern Ukraine.



The angry response from Moscow comes a day after President Donald Trump's administration approved a plan to provide weapons to Ukraine, including Javelin anti-tank missiles. Ukraine has long sought the weapons for its fight against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 10,000 since April 2014 and strongly welcomed the U.S. move.

"I am grateful for the leadership of President Donald Trump, clear position of all our American friends, and for strong bipartisan support of Ukraine," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Facebook in English. "American weapons in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers are not for offensive (purposes), but for stronger rebuff of the aggressor, protection of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, as well as for effective self-defense. It is also a trans-Atlantic vaccination against the Russian virus of aggression."

In Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the U.S. administration's move has "crossed a line."

"Washington has sought to cast itself as a 'mediator,'" he said in a statement. "It's not a mediator. It's an accomplice in fueling a war."

Without mentioning the U.S. decision, France and Germany on Saturday urged combatants to fully implement a much-violated cease-fire agreement.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron issued a joint statement urging combatants to observe a 2015 peace deal brokered by France and Germany. Its provisions include the withdrawal of heavy weapons such as tanks and rocket launchers from the front-line area and an exchange of prisoners.

The two leaders also urged the return of Russian military officers to a joint coordination center that plays a role in monitoring the cease-fire.

Merkel and Macron said in their statement that "there is no alternative to an exclusively peaceful solution to the conflict."

The U.S. and its allies say Russia has sent troops and weapons to help the rebels in eastern Ukraine. Moscow has denied the accusations, but acknowledged that Russian citizens joined the separatist forces as volunteers.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov warned that the U.S. move could warrant a Russian response.

"The American weapons can lead to more victims in the neighboring country, and we couldn't stay indifferent to that," he said.

Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of the upper house of Russian parliament, said in remarks carried by Tass that the U.S. move was a "big mistake" that would "pull them into Ukraine's internal conflict."

"With lethal weapons supplies, the U.S. gives a clear signal to Kiev that it will support a military option," Alexei Pushkov, the head of the upper house's information committee, said on Twitter.

Tensions in the east have increased in recent weeks, with observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe expressing concern about a recent spike in fighting.

Earlier this week, Russia withdrew its military observers from the joint group monitoring the truce, citing "restrictions and provocations" by Ukrainian authorities that made it hard for Russian officers to perform their duties.

Ukraine and the rebels declared an intention Wednesday to speed up efforts to exchange prisoners. They also agreed to maintain a cease-fire for the Christmas and New Year's season starting Saturday, but immediately blamed each other for violating the deal.

Ouch, this hurts man, this really hurts.

Look at them marching around with weapons from EU, I'm sure that makes them very "European". Forget about Russia, they are just losers, dirty mongoloid bastards.

This hurts man, this really hurts. Own brotherly nation does this to another. Sad.

Another question why Trump did this. To appease McCain or something?

And why does this man wants to destroy Russia so badly?

[Rugoz]

Good

[Albert]

Damn you McCain, damn you!

[Kaiserschmarrn]

Another question why Trump did this.

Trump has lots of incentives to do this. He makes himself more politically vulnerable if he doesn't because Russia has now become a domestic issue across the US and much of Europe which the centre left and some on the centre right are more than willing to exploit. Apart from this our politicians are advised by what appear to be the worst foreign policy experts for a long time. It's hard to think of a major issue during the last 20 years where western intervention has been beneficial for the west or even approximately worked as planned.

So I'd expect that relations with Russia are going to worsen in the foreseeable future. Trump, even if he had no personal inclination in that respect, won't be able to resist it. We have to hope that this won't somehow spiral out of control.

[mikema63]

Good

We are not going to be friends with Russia so long as we desire a strong international presence for the west and multilateral institutions. Russia can only gain power again in a world where NATO is defunct and the forces that would oppose Russia's geopolitical rise are scattered.

A world of that kind of chaos and war is not something we should desire.

[foxdemon]

We are not going to be friends with Russia so long as we desire a strong international presence for the west and multilateral institutions. Russia can only gain power again in a world where NATO is defunct and the forces that would oppose Russia's geopolitical rise are scattered.

A world of that kind of chaos and war is not something we should desire.

I totally agree. But will you agree that this can be achieved only by political stability in the West? The PC brigade has had it all their only way for quite some time now. And the result is internal instability in Western nations. Maybe they shouldn’t get their own way all the time?

[Political Interest]

It's alright, Albert. When push comes to shove I do not think the Americans can ask Europeans to fight for their empire in Eastern Europe. I don't think a lot of educated Americans would be willing to do that either. Russia is not Nazi Germany and no amount of propaganda is going to make such a war worth fighting. Russia is far more European and close to the European mentality than America could ever be.

[foxdemon]

It's alright, Albert. When push comes to shove I do not think the Americans can ask Europeans to fight for their empire in Eastern Europe. I don't think a lot of educated Americans would be willing to do that either. Russia is not Nazi Germany and no amount of propaganda is going to make such a war worth fighting. Russia is far more European and close to the European mentality than America could ever be.

What? Whose empire in East Europe? If anything, it is the Americans who should be pissed about having to defend Europe’s empire from external agression when the Europeans should be more than capable of doing it themselves. Just compare RU and EU military spending.

As to Americans not being European enough, we could say the same of the English. Now that Brexit is a thing, maybe the more ‘European like’ Russians can join the EU? Hmmm...?

[Kaiserschmarrn]

It's alright, Albert. When push comes to shove I do not think the Americans can ask Europeans to fight for their empire in Eastern Europe.

This is an odd way to look at the situation. The EU has pushed for closer ties and economic integration with Ukraine, and there has certainly been an implied future possibility for membership. Of course the US has also argued for a future NATO membership of Ukraine at one time or the other. There isn't some kind of chasm between the approaches of Europeans and Americans to this issue.

Since the EU now has a defence pact, we'll be hopefully seeing the Americans, Canadians and Brits currently stationed in Eastern Europe being replaced with people from the EU. Let them put their money where there mouth is. Eastern Europeans who have requested an increased NATO presence will surely be happy with the EU finally assuming this responsibility.

Russia is far more European and close to the European mentality than America could ever be.

I'd say that depends on which part of Europe we are talking about.