Report: Secretary of State Kerry Supports Arming Ukraine’s Military
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State Department photo/ Public Domain(NEW YORK) — Bloomberg News reported Monday night that Secretary of State John Kerry is on the same page as others who want to deliver lethal defensive aid to Ukraine as its military battles Russia-backed separatists in the east.
With that, Kerry, who privately stated his views to lawmakers at the site of the Munich Security Conference, becomes the highest-ranking administration official to advocate arming Ukraine’s security forces with major weaponry.
President Obama Monday left open the possibility of sending lethal aid to Kiev, but there have been reports he has been reluctant to do so, fearing it would put the U.S. in a proxy war with Russia. National Security Adviser Susan Rice is also said to share that opinion.
Nonetheless, Bloomberg reports that Arizona Republican Senator John McCain, who strongly supports standing up to Russia with arms to Ukraine, claims that many in the administration also want to provide Kiev with defensive weapons.
Although Vice President Joe Biden hasn’t come out and said so publicly, he too appears to be leaning toward arming Ukraine directly. During a speech last weekend in Munich, Biden told other world leaders, “We will continue to provide Ukraine with security assistance, not to encourage war, but to allow Ukraine to defend itself.”
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