U.S. arming of Ukraine would not bring rift with Europe (Mogherini)

The European Union's foreign policy chief said on Sunday she did not expect any transatlantic rift with Washington over Ukraine if the United States went ahead with proposals to supply arms to Kiev....
With pro-Russian separatists making gains in eastern Ukraine, discussions are under way in Washington about whether the United States should send weapons to the Ukrainian army.


A number of European ministers at this weekend's Munich Security Conference opposed sending weapons, fearing it could further escalate the conflict.

• The EU's Federica Mogherini, who met Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, told Reuters in an interview she respected the internal debate on the subject in the United States and "it is up to them to discuss and decide".

"We are united when it comes to support to Ukraine ... we are united when it comes to economic pressure and we are united also on ... the need to have a political dialogue," she said.

SANCTIONS

Asked if there was a danger of a transatlantic rift if the United States decided to meet Kiev's request for arms to fight rebels, who have seized swathes of eastern Ukraine in a war that has killed over 5,000, she replied: "No."...................http://www.todayonline.com/world/us-arming-ukraine-would-not-bring-rift-europe-mogherini8/2/15
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