US Secretary of State John Kerry is coming on a visit to Kyiv on February 5. Several points make this visit particular. On the one hand, it is being paid after a new aggravation of the situation in eastern Ukraine and the widely-expected failure of the trilateral Contact Group’s talks on observing the Minsk Agreements signed on September 5 past year. On the other hand, the US has seen a heated debate in the past few days on the supply of American lethal weapons to Ukraine. The evidence of this was the Monday report of eight former US high-ranking officials who urged the White House administration to immediately supply Ukraine with lethal weapons worth $3 billion. The US media believe that the weapon supply issue may be discussed during Kerry’s negotiations with the Ukrainian leadership.
The Day requested Hanna HOPKO, Chairperson, Foreign Affairs Committee, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, to comment on the Ukrainian side’s expectations from the US Secretary of State’s visit. Can we expect the White House’s current occupant to heed the US experts’ advice about a speedy delivery of lethal weapons to Ukraine?
“It important that the situation in eastern Ukraine and Crimea should be high on the US foreign policy priority list, for the US is Ukraine’s strategic partner which offers a great deal of assistance.
“It is also important to observe the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, especially Section 6, Increased Military Assistance for the Government of Ukraine.
“What should happen further on?
1 Sanctions should be toughened, and Russia should be barred from SWIFT.
2 As for the weapons, it is the supply of electronic warfare and surveillance equipment, and joint production of arms and ammunitions in Ukraine. This is a longtime process, but it will promote cooperation. Urgent negotiations on the possibility of supporting Pivdenmash, a strategically important defense enterprise, which may include joint funding or corporatization to prevent it from grinding to a halt.
3 We should encourage other countries to use their votes to reform the UN Security Council and expel the aggressor state from it.
4 As for information, we should spread the truth about the situation, for example, through the Voice of America.
“Antimissile and antitank systems are defensive, but they can also kill people. We have every right to acquire defensive weapons because the Russian military have come, weapons in hand, to our land and we are defending our freedom. This is why we are asking for defensive, not offensive, arms to reinforce our defense capability.”
Would you comment on the US President Barack Obama’s interview with CNN, where he called Putin’s annexation of Crimea an improvisation? What does he mean by “reinforcing those border states who are members of NATO”? And what about Ukraine? Have they forgotten about the Budapest Memorandum – although it did not contain the words “security guarantees,” it did have the word “assurances”?
“Obama’s words about defending NATO countries can be viewed as support for Ukraine. It is a serious step which Russia won’t like. NATO is strengthening its presence with establishing a separate command and bases in the countries that border on Ukraine, whereas it was not a priority issue before.”
The Day’s FACT FILE
SEC. 6. INCREASED MILITARY ASSISTANCE FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF UKRAINE
(a) In General. – The President is authorized to provide defense articles, defense services, and training to the Government of Ukraine for the purpose of countering offensive weapons and reestablishing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including anti-tank and anti-armor weapons, crew weapons and ammunition, counter-artillery radars to identify and target artillery batteries, fire control, range finder, and optical and guidance and control equipment, tactical troop-operated surveillance drones, and secure command and communications equipment, pursuant to the provisions of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.), the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.), and other relevant provisions of law.
(b) Report Required. – Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit a report detailing the anticipated defense articles, defense services, and training to be provided pursuant to this section and a timeline for the provision of such defense articles, defense services, and training, to:
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.”
