Russia sent new arms to rebels, U.S. claims

Washington ‘actively’ considering more assistance to Ukraine

WASHINGTON— The United States accused Russia of sending new weapons to separatists in eastern Ukraine, as Germany warned that the conflict is still far from a peaceful resolution despite a ceasefire agreement.

Assistant secretary of state Victoria Nuland told the senate foreign relations committee on Tuesday that the U.S. confirmed the arms delivery and can tell when Russia sends weapons to the rebels.

The “continued resupply over the border is not compatible with the spirit or the letter” of the peace agreement negotiated in Minsk, Belarus, she said.

The Obama administration is “actively” considering additional security assistance to Ukraine, “including the possibility of lethal defensive weapons,” deputy under secretary of defence Brian McKeon told the same hearing in Washington.

The truce negotiated in Minsk on Feb. 12 by the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France is gradually taking hold after 11 months of fighting that has killed at least 6,000 people, according to the United Nations.

Sanctions imposed by the U.S. and the European Union have helped push Russia’s economy toward recession after they accused the authorities in Moscow of sending troops and weapons to back the rebels fighting government forces in Ukraine. Russia denies the allegation.

Pro-Russia separatists are preventing monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe from verifying their withdrawals of heavy weaponry under the Minsk accord, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin told reporters in Kyiv on Tuesday.

Ukraine is committed to the terms of the peace deal, he said.