“Delaying assistance effectively means assisting the aggressor”
Volodymyr Ohryzko commented on US President Barack Obama’s statements in a recent interview with the CNN
Recent events in Ukraine have finally forced the US administration to review its stance on supplying lethal weapons to our country. This change is covered in The International New York Times’ report, headlined “US Considers Supplying Arms to Ukraine Forces.” The publication notes, in particular, that although President Obama has not yet decided to supply lethal weapons, after reports of a series of striking reversals that Ukraine’s forces have suffered in recent weeks, the White House is taking a fresh look at the question of military aid. Citing serving officials, The International New York Times reports that US Secretary of State John Kerry, who will visit Kyiv on February 5, “is open to new discussions about providing lethal assistance,” as is General Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel backs sending lethal weapons to Ukraine as well.
The Day turned to former foreign minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Ohryzko for a comment on the changes in the US administration’s stance and the recent statements made by president Obama in an interview with CNN.
“Following the adoption of the Ukraine Freedom Support Act by the US Congress, no new obstacles to supplying such weapons to Ukraine have appeared. The only obstacle is the lack of political will on the part of the US leadership. If the analysis stating that Russia and its militant puppets are not going to peacefully settle the situation in any way is correct, there should be no solution other than to provide Ukraine with means of defense, including lethal weapons. Thus, I think that the findings of this commission should be seriously studied by the administration, which should finally make a responsible political decision.
“After the crime which was committed in Mariupol and is now being extended to other Ukrainian cities, there is no doubt whatsoever that this is an open aggression. Therefore, delaying assistance effectively means assisting the aggressor. I do not think anyone in the US wants to be painted so clearly as an accessory of what obviously is international terrorism and banditry. I think that the response should be really decisive and effective.
“In general, the US should have provided Ukraine with lethal weapons long ago. Unfortunately, for some reason, such radical decisions take a rather long time to adopt for this administration.”
President Obama said in an interview with the CNN that Vladimir Putin had no prepared strategy for Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea was an “improvisation” on the part of the Kremlin in response to the Euromaidan protests which Russia had not expected. Do you think that this assessment of the Russian president’s actions is correct?
“I do not think it was an improvisation, for war planners do not improvise, but prepare for wars in the earnest. That it was not an improvisation, can be seen from statements made by Russian military, including top brass, and documents that are leaked from time to time. So, I am afraid that this improvisation was a well prepared one, and this response only shows that the White House is either not serious about studying what happens in Russia, or their studies do not translate to adequate response to what they see.”
