Ukraine officials pleading with US to provide military aid, lawmaker says

[Zarvan]

Ukrainian officials pleaded with visiting U.S. lawmakers this past weekend to provide military aid, claiming their ousted president intentionally gutted the nation's defenses so it would be vulnerable to a Russian takeover, one of those U.S. lawmakers told Fox News.

"They wanted arms," the lawmaker said, "even recognizing that it could be cited by Putin as an excuse, a provocation for further military action by him. They said Putin's goal has never been Crimea; his goal is Kiev."

Even before Viktor Yanukovych's tenure as president, Ukraine's military was woefully underfunded and outdated. The nation's defense force is composed of obsolete tanks and fighter planes, and thousands of low-paid soldiers.

But the lawmaker who spoke with Fox News claimed Yanukovych had made it a point, over the course of his administration, to "hollow out" the Ukrainian military further.

The goal, the source said, was to weaken the Ukrainian national defenses in the event Russia eventually moved to reclaim the country.

Interim Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told the visiting U.S. lawmakers that Yanukovych's policy had effectively left Ukraine with about 6,000 capable soldiers. Yatsenyuk and every other significant Ukrainian leader the U.S. congressional delegation met with all pleaded with the lawmakers to use their influence in Washington to supply small arms and ammunition to the Ukrainian government. The lawmaker said there was not unanimity amongst the members of the delegation about the wisdom of such a policy.

Over the weekend, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the delegation, would not give a definitive answer when asked whether military aid was on the table.

"I think there are a lot of ways that we can assist in the resistance. I'm not sure that we're to the point of providing arms, but they need all sorts of non-lethal assistance, like MREs, that we can put on the ground," he told ABC's "This Week."

But other lawmakers are more aggressive. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., while acknowledging that Ukraine is "militarily out-matched by Russia," called Monday for the Obama administration to provide military assistance.

"The Administration should rush the modest military assistance to the Ukrainian government that its leaders have requested," McCain said in a statement.

Vladimir Putin already has signed a decree recognizing Crimea as an independent nation, after the region voted in favor of joining Russia on Sunday.

The lawmaker who spoke with Fox News said that if the provision of arms and ammunition is not in the cards right now, the Obama administration should at least be announcing the dispatch of a U.S. military delegation to Kiev to assess the country's needs.

Yatsenyuk and other Ukrainian leaders were "very heartened" by recent statements from German Chancellor Angela Merkel indicating she may soon be amenable to a tougher stance on sanctions against Russia -- but the lawmaker said the Ukrainians emphasized repeatedly that Putin does not respond to words or threats, only to tough actions.

"There's a lot of reality-denying going on over here," the lawmaker told Fox News. "It's like, we didn't want a war against Al Qaeda, but they were at war with us. I hate to say it, but Vladimir Putin is engaged in his own Cold War with us."


James Rosen joined Fox News Channel (FNC) in 1999. He currently serves as the chief Washington correspondent and hosts the online show "The Foxhole."
Ukraine officials pleading with US to provide military aid, lawmaker says | Fox News

@Aeronaut @jaibi @Oscar @nuclearpak @Arabian Legend @Yzd Khalifa @tarrar @mafiya @al-Hasani
So guys their is only one rule in the world might is right so better we make our forces really stronger and also increase our nuclear warhead and our Missiles and their ranges or other wise get ready to get our butts kicked and also Saudi Arabia needs to become really strong military power other wise one day USA will try to break it too some people in west are already saying this and now even Saudis are realizing this

 

[faisal6309]

FOX News???
All the text I read was from FOX News???

 

[Tshering22]

So the now Ukraine will officially join NATO. They will be provided with US-made F-16URs/Swedish Gripens (being cheaper than EFT and Rafales), German KM Boxer APCs, Italian/Turkish AW-129 gunships, French/Spanish designed corvettes and frigates and NATO standard digital uniforms.

 

[Star Wars]

So the now Ukraine will officially join NATO. They will be provided with US-made F-16URs/Swedish Gripens (being cheaper than EFT and Rafales), German KM Boxer APCs, Italian/Turkish AW-129 gunships, French/Spanish designed corvettes and frigates and NATO standard digital uniforms.

Ukraine won't join NATO , the day a country on Russian border joins NATO is the day Russia invades Ukraine

 

[Tshering22]

Ukraine won't join NATO , the day a country on Russian border joins NATO is the day Russia invades Ukraine

Now they have all the more reasons to join if they were running short of any before Crimean accession. Remember that eastern half of Ukraine is Russian majority or Russia-friendly and roots for joining Kremlin's alliance. A NATO alliance would seal their fate. That is what the US-funded current rulers of Ukraine want.

Russia has borders with Poland as well and has the NATO-joined Baltic states at their borders too, that too from all sides (Kaliningrad).

Russia invading Ukraine after a merger with NATO will mean that entire western Europe + USA will strike back with this excuse.

 

[$@rJen]

Now they have all the more reasons to join if they were running short of any before Crimean accession. Remember that eastern half of Ukraine is Russian majority or Russia-friendly and roots for joining Kremlin's alliance. A NATO alliance would seal their fate. That is what the US-funded current rulers of Ukraine want.

Russia has borders with Poland as well and has the NATO-joined Baltic states at their borders too, that too from all sides (Kaliningrad).

Russia invading Ukraine after a merger with NATO will mean that entire western Europe + USA will strike back with this excuse.

Dude there's no way Ukraine would join NATO, If they decide to join then Next week Putin will be in Ukraine.. NATO allowing Ukraine to join is not easy too, Putin is not a dumb kid, See after some time eastern Ukraine will be in turmoil and would want to join Russia

 

[Star Wars]

Now they have all the more reasons to join if they were running short of any before Crimean accession. Remember that eastern half of Ukraine is Russian majority or Russia-friendly and roots for joining Kremlin's alliance. A NATO alliance would seal their fate. That is what the US-funded current rulers of Ukraine want.

Russia has borders with Poland as well and has the NATO-joined Baltic states at their borders too, that too from all sides (Kaliningrad).

Russia invading Ukraine after a merger with NATO will mean that entire western Europe + USA will strike back with this excuse.

Putin will end up in Eastern Ukraine if Ukraine joins NATO and there is nothing NATO can really do about it...

 

[evilamerican]

There is no way that the US should supply any weapon to Ukraine! The performance of the Ukrainian military has been spotty at best and in most cases they seem to have no desire to put up any kind of resistance. Further more Ukraine is in the situation there in militarily, Because of corruption and the fact that they are selling off all the military assets to bolster there fragile economy.

 

[MastanKhan]

Hi,

I think it is a little too late for salvaging ukraine. Russia caught the u s when it was militarily a tired nation. In wars for too long---military getting beaten up by ragtag bad teeth goat loving filthy stinking insurgents.

I really don't think that the u s military has any fight left in it to take on the russian soldier.

There is an old sying---you want to ruinyour militry---then get them to fight the civilians.

I bet you that this current u s soldier does not have it in him to take on the russian soldier.

 

[Nishan_101]

Ukrainian officials pleaded with visiting U.S. lawmakers this past weekend to provide military aid, claiming their ousted president intentionally gutted the nation's defenses so it would be vulnerable to a Russian takeover, one of those U.S. lawmakers told Fox News.

"They wanted arms," the lawmaker said, "even recognizing that it could be cited by Putin as an excuse, a provocation for further military action by him. They said Putin's goal has never been Crimea; his goal is Kiev."

Even before Viktor Yanukovych's tenure as president, Ukraine's military was woefully underfunded and outdated. The nation's defense force is composed of obsolete tanks and fighter planes, and thousands of low-paid soldiers.

But the lawmaker who spoke with Fox News claimed Yanukovych had made it a point, over the course of his administration, to "hollow out" the Ukrainian military further.

The goal, the source said, was to weaken the Ukrainian national defenses in the event Russia eventually moved to reclaim the country.

Interim Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told the visiting U.S. lawmakers that Yanukovych's policy had effectively left Ukraine with about 6,000 capable soldiers. Yatsenyuk and every other significant Ukrainian leader the U.S. congressional delegation met with all pleaded with the lawmakers to use their influence in Washington to supply small arms and ammunition to the Ukrainian government. The lawmaker said there was not unanimity amongst the members of the delegation about the wisdom of such a policy.

Over the weekend, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the delegation, would not give a definitive answer when asked whether military aid was on the table.

"I think there are a lot of ways that we can assist in the resistance. I'm not sure that we're to the point of providing arms, but they need all sorts of non-lethal assistance, like MREs, that we can put on the ground," he told ABC's "This Week."

But other lawmakers are more aggressive. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., while acknowledging that Ukraine is "militarily out-matched by Russia," called Monday for the Obama administration to provide military assistance.

"The Administration should rush the modest military assistance to the Ukrainian government that its leaders have requested," McCain said in a statement.

Vladimir Putin already has signed a decree recognizing Crimea as an independent nation, after the region voted in favor of joining Russia on Sunday.

The lawmaker who spoke with Fox News said that if the provision of arms and ammunition is not in the cards right now, the Obama administration should at least be announcing the dispatch of a U.S. military delegation to Kiev to assess the country's needs.

Yatsenyuk and other Ukrainian leaders were "very heartened" by recent statements from German Chancellor Angela Merkel indicating she may soon be amenable to a tougher stance on sanctions against Russia -- but the lawmaker said the Ukrainians emphasized repeatedly that Putin does not respond to words or threats, only to tough actions.

"There's a lot of reality-denying going on over here," the lawmaker told Fox News. "It's like, we didn't want a war against Al Qaeda, but they were at war with us. I hate to say it, but Vladimir Putin is engaged in his own Cold War with us."


James Rosen joined Fox News Channel (FNC) in 1999. He currently serves as the chief Washington correspondent and hosts the online show "The Foxhole."
Ukraine officials pleading with US to provide military aid, lawmaker says | Fox News

@Aeronaut @jaibi @Oscar @nuclearpak @Arabian Legend @Yzd Khalifa @tarrar @mafiya @al-Hasani
So guys their is only one rule in the world might is right so better we make our forces really stronger and also increase our nuclear warhead and our Missiles and their ranges or other wise get ready to get our butts kicked and also Saudi Arabia needs to become really strong military power other wise one day USA will try to break it too some people in west are already saying this and now even Saudis are realizing this

Ukraine and other Pro. NATO countries should Sell OFF their Russian equipment and each and every of them. Also ask EU and US to supply them equipment needed....

 

[evilamerican]

Ukraine and other Pro. NATO countries should Sell OFF their Russian equipment and each and every of them. Also ask EU and US to supply them equipment needed....

In Ukraine's case I don't think that would be wise. A lot of there soviet era crap is still produced there. The US and NATO shouldn't give away crap. sell it maybe.

 

[ViXuyen]

NATO will not let Ukraine join them. Ukraine can go to war with Russia at anytime. Most of NATO are wealthy states, they won't die for a poor guy like Ukraine. Dying for a poor guy like Ukraine is everything to lose but nothing to gain. Georgia wants to join NATO too, will NATO let them in?