(Bloomberg) Ukraine’s 10-month conflict may be entering a new phase. Eight former top U.S. officials urged President Barack Obama in a report Monday to authorize delivery of $1 billion of weapons to the Ukrainian government this year and for the next two years to help it fight pro-Russian rebels in its Donetsk and Luhansk regions, who have been advancing in recent weeks.
Officials in Washington say they’re examining all options. U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove, NATO’s top military commander, favors “considering practical means of support,” Pentagon spokesman Gregory Hicks said. Obama remains unconvinced, according to one official familiar with his thinking. Germany won’t support weapons shipments to the Ukrainian government, Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters in Budapest on Monday.
Here’s a list of frequently asked questions about possible scenarios for the 10-month conflict:
What is Ukraine requesting?
Ukraine sent a request for lethal weapons to foreign governments last year, said Tetyana Popova, an adviser to Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak. Ministry officials and military leaders are discussing the issue with their U.S. counterparts this week, she said. […]
See the full article ("U.S. Arms to Ukraine: Tilting the Balance or Fanning the Flames?") © Bloomberg
