Western nations ‘split’ over arming Kiev in rebel conflict

MUNICH: Differences within the Western alliance over whether to send defensive arms to Ukraine were thrust into the open Saturday when Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, bluntly opposed providing military support to Kiev and called instead for continued efforts to persuade Russia and separatist forces to cease fire.

“The progress that Ukraine needs cannot be achieved by more weapons,” she told a security conference in Munich. She spoke of how Western values and persistence won the Cold War.

Ms Merkel’s position was challenged by US Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and by Sen Lindsey Graham, who noted growing support in the US Congress for arming Ukraine.

Malcolm Rifkind, the former British foreign secretary and a Conservative politician, said it was unlikely a peace agreement could be reached without a combination of military assistance and diplomacy, so that the Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine faced tougher Ukrainian resistance.

The pointed exchanges laid bare the feud within the West’s ranks and threw a wrench into US and European plans to form a common strategy to persuade Russia’s president Vladimir Putin to honour a ceasefire agreement negotiated in Minsk, Belarus, last September.

The agreement called for the removal of Russian weapons and forces from eastern Ukraine.

Ms Merkel did not comment on talks in Moscow on Friday with Putin and the French president, François Hollande, who also opposes arming Ukraine but is eager to sell warships to Russia if the crisis eases.

Ms Merkel drew parallels to the containment policy used in the Cold War and suggested prolonged economic sanctions, although they may not work.

“We have no guarantees that Mr Putin will do what we expect him to do,” she said, conceding that Russian violations of the Minsk agreement had been “very disillusioning, very disappointing”.

But given the imbalance in forces between Russia and Ukraine, she said: “Military means will lead to more victims.”

Sen John McCain has argued forcefully for weapons deliveries to Ukraine. He summed up his reaction to Ms Merkel’s speech with one word: “Foolishness.”

Mr McCain said that unless the West beefed up support to Ukraine, Mr Putin may seize the port of Mariupol in eastern Ukraine and build a bridge from Russia to Crimea, which the Kremlin annexed last March.

“I can assure you that he will not stop until he has to pay a much higher price,” Mr McCain said.

After her appearance, Ms Merkel met Vice-President Joe Biden and President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine. Mr McCain, after meeting Mr Poroshenko, said: “He’s not overly optimistic about this negotiation.’’

Providing new details about the German and French initiative, a senior State Department official it was consistent with the Minsk agreement but specified the steps for a political settlement. The plan envisions a wider buffer zone between Ukrainian forces and the separatists.

Ms Merkel, Mr Hollande, Mr Putin and Mr Poroshenko planned to speak yesterday to discuss the initiative.