Obama, Meeting With Merkel on Ukraine Crisis, Keeps Military Aid Option Open
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President Obama said he was weighing providing lethal weapons to Ukraine to help Kiev defend against Russia’s aggression if diplomatic efforts fail to defuse the tensions there, even as he said the United States remained united with Europe in maintaining sanctions against Moscow.
“The prospect for a military solution to this problem has always been low,” Mr. Obama said, given the extraordinarily powerful military that is at the disposal of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, and the length of Russia’s border with Ukraine.
Nevertheless, at a joint news conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany at the White House Monday, the president said it was clear a set of steep sanctions against Russia “has not yet dissuaded Mr. Putin from following the course that he is on.” He said that had prompted him to ask his team to “look at all options,” including providing an array of defensive weapons to bolster Ukraine’s forces.
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