Ukrainian President Pleads for Military Aid at US Capitol - East Idaho News
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Ukrainian President Pleads for Military Aid at US Capitol

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gettY 091814 poroshenkocongress?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1411056894250NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko spoke before a joint meeting of Congress Thursday, notably asking the United States to provide both lethal and non-lethal assistance to Ukraine, saying “one cannot win the war with blankets!”
 
“They need more political support throughout the world. They need more military equipment, both lethal and non-lethal, urgently need,” Poroshenko said to applause as he spoke to a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol. “Please understand me correctly. Blankets, night vision goggles are also important but one cannot win the war with blankets.  Even more we cannot keep the peace with a blanket and this is most important of our values, of our aim, not to win the war, but keep the peace. For keeping the peace, we should be strong enough and there is not any doubt that we will be strong because of you. because our solidarity.”
 
Poroshenko’s address came just hours before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee marks up legislation that would impose new sanctions on Russia and provide military and non-military assistance to Ukraine.
 
The Ukrainian president skipped an entire section from his prepared remarks in which he thanked President Obama. The prepared remarks feature these lines, which he completely left out of his speech:
 
“I would like to thank the U.S. and all our partners for their support. I want to personally thank President Obama for the coherent position on Crimea annexation and support to Ukraine. The world remembers his words in Warsaw: ‘We will not accept Russia’s occupation of Crimea or its violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.”
 
Later Thursday, Poroshenko is slated to have lunch with Vice President Joe Biden and meet with President Obama in the Oval Office.

The White House Thursday announced that the U.S. will provide $53 million in additional aid to Ukraine, including $46 million in non-lethal security assistance.

In his speech, Poroshenko thanked Congress for its support and urged lawmakers to continue to stand in solidarity with Ukraine.

“I urge you not to let Ukraine, not to let Ukraine stand alone in the face of this aggression,” Poroshenko said.  “This is very important that the whole world will see this gesture of solidarity. Ukraine is not alone. We are together. We are united and we win because our fighting, is fighting for freedom, is fighting for democracy and I will absolutely no doubt that our victory will be very close. I’m absolutely sure that United States made the commitment it will stand behind Ukraine’s territorial integrity and we hope that it will live up to that promise.”
 
Closing out his speech, Poroshenko quoted New Hampshire’s motto “Live free or die!” saying it exemplified the tenacity of the Ukrainian people.
 
“Live free or die are words of Ukrainian soldiers standing on line of freedom of this war. Live free must be the answer with which Ukraine comes out of this war,” he said. “Live free must be the message Ukraine and America send to the world while standing together in this time of enormous challenge.”


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