Ukraine calls on NATO to provide lethal weapons to defend itself from Russia
Ukraine has asked the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to provide defensive lethal weapons, as stated by the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze.
"We are asking for defensive lethal weapons to protect ourselves and our land, in order to do it more effectively, so that there are fewer military losses and that there are fewer civilian losses," Klympush-Tsintsadze said.
She stressed the need for such weapons to counter Russian aggression. The Vice Prime Minister added that only systemic and joint pressure could draw Russia's attention to international law.
Earlier the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Hanna Hopko, stated in an interview with LB.ua that there is a high probability that the US will provide Ukraine with lethal weapons. She noted that the administration of President Donald Trump "wants to demonstrate that they are with us not only just in words but also in deeds.”
In 2014 and 2015, the US did not provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, as the White House felt that this could "spur" Russia to escalate the conflict.