KIEV, April 18. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s presidential candidate, leader of Batkivshchyna party Yulia Tymoshenko has addressed the US Congress asking to provide military assistance to Ukraine. The relevant statement has been made public by the political party’s press service.

“I’m calling on the members of US Congress with a request to take every possible step towards supporting Ukraine, protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Tymoshenko says.

According to Batkivshchyna’s leader, “Ukraine needs comprehensive assistance, including military and technical aid that should comprise air defense and anti-mechanized equipment, as well as assistance in personnel training”.

In addition, Tymoshenko regards the final document of the four-party meeting between representatives of Ukraine, USA, EU and Russia as “the first step in the right direction”.

The talks brought together Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Deshchytsia, US Secretary of State John Kerry and EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.

 

US decides on military assistance to Ukraine

April 17, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced that Washington would provide assistance to armed forces and border service of Ukraine. According to Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department Marie Harf, the total value of this aid makes $6.5 million.

Harf specified that different commodities (medications, helmets, bedside rugs, water cleaning equipment) worth $3.5 million from the total amount would be provided by US State Department to Ukraine’s armed forces. The equipment worth $3 million (uniform, power generators) for Ukrainian border service would be allotted on behalf of the Pentagon, according to Marie Harf.

She added that this announcement was not the last regarding US assistance to Ukraine and pledged that American authorities would try to provide Ukraine with all the mentioned items as soon as possible.

As Chuck Hagel stated earlier, the decision to provide aid, which would not include arms and military equipment, was made by President Barack Obama. The defense secretary added that the president had already informed about this in his phone conversation with parliament appointed acting Defense Minister of Ukraine Mykhailo Koval. Additional military assistance to Ukraine from the USA is “non-lethal”, Pentagon’s chief said.