NATO's BreedWar Urges West To Arm Kiev

NATO urges West to use ‘all tools’ to back Kiev

Mon Mar 23, 2015 7:1AM

NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, US General Philip Breedlove (©AFP)

َA top military commander with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has urged the West to employ all means – including sending arms -- to help the Ukrainian government, in response to what he alleged was Moscow’s arming of pro-Russia forces in eastern Ukraine.

US Air Force General Philip Breedlove, who also commands the US European Command, further emphasized Sunday during a Brussels conference that Washington and other Western nations should even resort to “destabilizing” to counter Russian support for pro-independence forces in east Ukraine.
"We in the West should consider using all of our tools in reply. Could it be destabilizing? The answer is yes. Also, inaction could be destabilizing,” said the senior American commander.

“What we see is diplomatic tools being used, informational tools being used, military tools being used, economic tools being used against Ukraine," he added.

Without specifically naming Russia, Breedlove further claimed that diplomatic, information, military and economic tactics were all being employed against Kiev.

"We continue to see disturbing elements of air defense, command and control, resupply, equipment coming across a completely porous border," he asserted during the forum organized by German think tank Marshal Fund.

No US tools off the table

When asked whether he favored sending “defensive arms” to Kiev, the top NATO commander added, "I do not think that any tool of US or any other nation's power should necessarily be off the table."

Rocket launching hatches are seen on the USS Vicksburg cruiser ship docked at Constanta harbor in Constanta, Romania, on March 13, 2015 as part of a multinational naval NATO drill. (©AFP)

Breedlove further asserted that NATO intelligence pointed to "disturbing" military developments in eastern Ukraine, expressing concerns about non-compliance with the Minsk truce accord.
The remarks by the American general came a day after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized Washington’s meddling in the internal affairs of Ukraine.

“As far as we know, the Americans give lip service to the Minsk agreement… but put much effort into interpreting the agreed documents and their position is then voiced verbatim by Kiev,” said Lavrov.

While blasting Kiev for its continued non-compliance with the Minsk truce deal, the top Russian diplomat further criticized the US and the European Union's unconditional backing for the Ukrainian government .

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (©AFP) 

“The problem is that Americans and to a lesser degree Europeans feel uncomfortable when they have to criticize Kiev. They avoid it whenever they can. They endorsed the new Ukrainian government, turned a blind eye to many of their actions,” Lavrov said.

Ukraine’s warring sides reached a deal, dubbed Minsk II, at a summit attended by the leaders of Russia, France and Germany in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk on February 11 and 12. The agreement introduced measures such as a ceasefire, which took effect on February 15, the pullout of heavy weapons, and constitutional reforms in Ukraine by the end of the year.

The two mainly Russian-speaking regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine have been hit by deadly clashes between pro-Russia forces and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations in April last year to crush pro-Russia protests there.

http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/03/23/403014/NATO-urges-allout-aid-arms-for-Kiev