"Our position and our policy position have not changed," Psaki told journalists Friday, adding however that the situation remains "fluid" and the United States continues "to access how best to support Ukraine", which has been suffering from an internal armed conflict.
"We always evaluate our options, but nothing has changed as it relates to our focus, which is the kind of assistance that we are already providing," Psaki added, specifying that the aid includes "everything from body armor, helmets, vehicles, night and thermal vision devices, heavy engineering equipment, advanced radios, demining equipment, portable explosive ordnance disposal robots, patrol boats, counter mortar radars", as well as "advising and training".
On Thursday, the US Senate passed legislation that would provide Ukraine with "lethal military and non-military assistance" as well as "energy, defense sector, and civil society assistance".
The bill, called the "Ukraine Freedom Support Act", has yet to be passed by the US House of Representatives.
US President Barack Obama has urged Congress not to pass the legislation. Speaking at the White House Export Council on Thursday, Obama said the legislation would be counterproductive and create tensions with Washington's European allies.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko asked the United States for weapons in September, however, Obama's administration has not approved the request for arms, which came amid continuing fighting between Kiev forces and independence supporters in Ukraine's southeast. http://sputniknews.com/politics/20141213/1015796094.html
13/12/14
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Collected Department Releases: Daily Press Briefing - December 12, 2014 (Ukraine - Russia -India) ...
ReplyDelete.....QUESTION: Staying on Russia.
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead.
QUESTION: I just wondered if you had anything you could tell us about the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, which went through Senate yesterday. The Russians are acting pretty angrily about it. And – but it does give authorization, if required – or if wanted – to President Obama to provide lethal and nonlethal military aid to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons, ammunition, and tactical troop-operated surveillance drones. I wondered, is there actually any plan for such weapons or weaponry to be supplied to the Ukrainian forces?
And secondly, the Russians are sort of saying that this is a confrontational act and they’re very worried about it.
MS. PSAKI: Well --
QUESTION: The bill.
MS. PSAKI: The bill. Sure. Well, our position and our policy position has not changed. Our focus from the outset of this crisis has been on supporting Ukraine and on pursuing a diplomatic solution that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We’ve worked closely with our allies and partners in Europe and around the world to help accomplish this. As you know, our focus has been on providing a range of assistance, including $118 million in security assistance. That security assistance has included everything from body armor, helmets, vehicles, night and thermal vision devices, heavy engineering equipment, advanced radios, demining equipment, portable explosive ordnance disposal robots, patrol boats, counter mortar radars – meaning there are a lot of – there’s a lot of equipment that we’ve already provided. And this assistance also includes advising and training.
The situation, of course, remains fluid and we remain very concerned about the situation on the ground, and we continue to assess how best to support Ukraine. So we’re always evaluating our options, but nothing has changed as it relates to our focus, which is on the kind of assistance that we’ve already provided.
QUESTION: So no plans for any anti-tank weapons at the moment?
MS. PSAKI: Nothing has changed in that regard.
QUESTION: And do you – when the Russians say they believe this is a confrontational piece of legislation, what would your response be to that?
MS. PSAKI: I would say confrontational – a better way to use that term would be to describe the fact that there are continued aggressive actions and movement of humanitarian convoys and armed separatists moving around Ukraine, which is a sovereign country. So they should focus more on that and less on a piece of legislation.
QUESTION: Stay on Russia?
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
QUESTION: Do you have any update about Putin’s visit to India and – because now you must have the details about 12 nuclear plants and all that.
MS. PSAKI: Well, we’ve certainly seen more of the reporting that has come out this morning, but let me tell you what I have at this point. Of course, we’ve seen the reports regarding Indian business signing contract – Indian businesses signing contracts with Russian businesses. We continue to urge all countries not to conduct business as usual with Russia. We continue to monitor it, but we haven’t looked at all the specifics of the contracts, for obvious reasons.
QUESTION: So will it have any effect on President Obama’s visit? Will it be postponed, delayed, or will it go ahead?
MS. PSAKI: No. India remains an important partner. Obviously, our economic relationship is a big part of what we continue to work on.................http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2014/12/234977.htm#UKRAINE
12/12/14
Pouchkov qualifie d’absurde un appel des États-Unis de refuser les transactions avec la Russie...
DeleteUn appel des Etats-Unis de ne pas maintenir des relations d'affaires avec les entreprises russes ne sera pas entendu en dehors du milieu des plus proches alliés des États-Unis. C’est un absurde, écrit le chef du Comité de la Douma pour les affaires étrangères, Alexeï Pouchkov dans son blog Twitter.
Précédemment, le représentant du Département d'Etat américain Jen Psaki s’est adressée lors d'une conférence à la communauté internationale avec un appel visant à ne pas faire des affaires avec la Russie. Cette déclaration a servi comme une réaction à la récente visite de Vladimir Poutine en Inde, au cours de laquelle 16 documents sur la coopération entre les deux pays ont été signés.
Lire la suite: http://french.ruvr.ru/news/2014_12_13/Pouchkov-qualifie-d-absurde-un-appel-des-Etats-Unis-de-refuser-les-transactions-avec-la-Russie-6645/
13/12/14
Das vom US-Kongress gebilligte Gesetz „Über die Förderung von Freiheit in der Ukraine“ ruft wegen seines vom Konfrontationsgeist geprägten Charakters tiefes Bedauern hervor. Das erklärte der amtliche Sprecher des russischen Außenministeriums, Alexander Lukaschewitsch, am Freitag in Moskau...
ReplyDeleteDas Gesetz sei ohne Erörterung und Abstimmung gut geheißen worden. „Washington erhebt gegen Moskau ein weiteres Mal durch nichts belegte Anschuldigungen und droht mit neuen Sanktionen. Dabei werden die Konflikte in der Ukraine und in Syrien vermischt, die unter anderem auch von den USA geschürt worden waren. Dazu kommt noch der INF-Vertrag über die Vernichtung der Raketen kürzerer und mittlerer Reichweite, dessen Einhaltung durch die USA, gelinde gesagt, fraglich ist“, sagte Lukaschewitsch.
„Dabei versprechen die USA den Kiewer Behörden Waffen für die Fortsetzung ihrer Militäroperation in der Donbass-Region. Washington bekundet offen den Wunsch, Nichtregierungsorganisationen (NGO) zur Destabilisierung der innenpolitischen Lage in unserem Land zu nutzen“, sagte der Ministeriumssprecher...................http://de.ria.ru/politics/20141212/270199640.html
12/12/14