Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

U.S. agrees to send missiles, weapons to Ukraine

- JOSH LEDERMAN Informatio­n for this article was contribute­d by Matthew Lee of The Associated Press.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s administra­tion has approved a plan to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, aiming to fortify the former Soviet republic military as it fights separatist­s backed by Russia.

The new arms include American-made Javelin anti-tank missiles that Ukraine has long sought to boost its defenses against tanks that have rolled through eastern Ukraine in violence that has killed more than 10,000 people since 2014. Previously, the U.S. has provided Ukraine with support equipment and training, and has let private companies sell some small arms like rifles.

The officials describing the plan weren’t authorized to discuss it publicly and demanded anonymity.

The move is likely to escalate tensions between the United States and Russia, as Trump contends with ongoing questions about whether he’s too hesitant to confront the Kremlin. Ukraine accuses Russia of sending the tanks, and the U.S. says Russia is arming, training and fighting alongside the separatist­s.

Trump had been considerin­g the plan for some time after the State Department and the Pentagon signed off on it earlier this year. President Barack Obama also considered sending lethal weapons to Ukraine.

The State Department, responsibl­e for overseeing foreign military sales, would not confirm that anti-tank missiles or other lethal weapons would be sent. But in a statement late Friday, State Department spokesman Heather Nauert said the U.S. had decided to provide “enhanced defensive capabiliti­es” to help Ukraine build its military long-term, defend its sovereignt­y and “deter further aggression.”

“U.S. assistance is entirely defensive in nature, and as we have always said, Ukraine is a sovereign country and has a right to defend itself,” Nauert said.

The White House’s National Security Council declined to comment.

Although the portable Javelin anti-tank missiles can kill, proponents for granting them to Ukraine have long argued they are considered “defensive” because the Ukrainians would use them to defend their territory and deter the Russians, not to attack a foreign country or seize new territory.

Under law, the State Department must tell Congress of planned foreign military sales, triggering a review period in which lawmakers can act to stop the sale. It was unclear whether the administra­tion had formally notified Congress, but lawmakers are unlikely to try to block it given that Democrats and Republican­s alike have long called on the government to take the step.

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