Pressure on Trump to sell arms to Ukraine

UNITED STATES/UKRAINE: National security officials are urging President Donald Trump to approve the sale of nearly US$50 million (NZ$73m) worth of US weapons to Ukraine, which has confronted what it sees as military aggression from Russia and proRussian separatists for years.

It was unclear whether Trump, who has been reluctant to challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin, will approve the plan.

Congressional and State Department officials said yesterday the weapons proposal had gained traction in the National Security Council. The officials asked not to be named discussing internal deliberations.

At the urging of Trump’s thencampaign manager, Paul Manafort, the GOP platform was watered down at the Republican National Convention in 2016 to remove a call to sell lethal weapons to Ukraine – a position long favoured by the Republican establishment and ultimately by the Obama administration.

It was later revealed that Manafort had worked for proRussian Ukrainian leaders opposed to US support for the government in Kiev.

Manafort was indicted last month on charges of failing to register as a foreign agent, money laundering and conspiracy. He has pleaded not guilty.

The weapons sale under discussion would likely include Javelin anti-tank missiles and other hi-tech weapons that go beyond defensive arms, a State Department official said.

Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate armed services committee, has repeatedly urged the Trump administration to supply Ukraine with weapons. Doing so would garner bipartisan support on Capitol Hill.

‘‘It is long past time for the United States to provide Ukraine the defensive lethal assistance it needs to deter and defend against further Russian aggression,’’ McCain said in a statement.

‘‘As long as the status quo remains, Russia has no reason to change its behaviour, and we should only expect more violence and more death.’’

Senator James Inhofe, another member of the armed services committee, wrote to Trump last week urging stronger support for Ukraine.

‘‘The military land-grab Russia has launched in Ukraine is unprecedented in modern European history,’’ he wrote.

‘‘Our response should include lethal military hardware as part of a broader effort to help Ukrainians defend themselves and deter future aggression.’’

Congress has already approved up to $500m in assistance for Ukraine and its defence systems, though not specifically for lethal weapons.

Ukraine’s pro-West government has been battling pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine since forces loyal to Putin annexed Crimea in 2014. –