Kerry tells US lawmakers he's for arming Ukraine

Kerry is the latest top U.S. official to favor arming Ukraine’s armed forces directly, as they struggle against heavily armed Russian-backed separatists in Eastern Ukraine.

Vice President Joe Biden this weekend came very close to endorsing military aid for Ukraine when he pledged to continue to support Ukraine’s "security” needs. The top U.S. general in Europe, Philip Breedlove, has for months been advocating internally for greater U.S. support for Ukraine.  Defense secretary nominee Ashton Carter testified last week he was inclined toward sending arms to Kiev.

Two U.S. lawmakers told me that Kerry, in separate conversations Saturday evening at the Munich Security Conference, had told them he was for the lethal aid. Kerry’s position matches that of the State Department writ large, led on this issue by the assistant secretary of state for Europe, Victoria Nuland.

The White House, especially National Security Adviser Susan Rice, have been resisting, concerned that sending weapons will

lead to Russian escalation.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain declined to comment on his private conversations with Kerry, but told me that many inside the Obama administration have told Congress they support the weapons plan.

"When you sit down with many members of this administration, it’s like wink-wink nod-nod, we agree with you guys, we’re trying,” said McCain.

 

(Bloomberg)