Top NATO General: West Should Send Arms To Ukraine

VOA: NATO General: West Should Consider Arming Ukraine

NATO's military commander says the West needs to consider sending defensive weapons to Ukraine to help it counter Russia's continued involvement supporting pro-Moscow separatists fighting Kyiv's forces.

U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove told a Brussels conference that he does not think "any tool of (the) United States or any other nation's power should necessarily be off the table."

But Breedlove acknowledged that sending weapons to Kyiv could destabilize the country amid concerns about the implementation of a shaky month-old cease-fire between the pro-Russian insurgents in eastern Ukraine and Ukrainian troops.

More News On NATO's Top General Calling For The Arming Of Ukraine

U.S. Should Consider Arming Ukrainians, Top NATO General Says -- Bloomberg
West should consider all tools, including arms, for Ukraine -NATO general -- Reuters
NATO Commander Calls For Using 'All Tools' To Help Ukraine -- Radio Free Europe
NATO Military Chief Philip Breedlove Flags Ukraine Risks -- WSJ
NATO Commander: West Must Fight Russia in Information 'War' -- NYT

NATO Is Not Ready To Admit Ukraine As A Full Fledge Member

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (L) and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen talk during the NATO-Ukraine meeting at the NATO Summit at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales, September 4, 2014. (Reuters/Facundo Arrizabalag)

NATO Too Wary of Russian Threats to Let Ukraine Join -- Simon Shuster, Time

Despite Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine, the U.S.-led alliance is keeping Kiev at a distance

With its aggression against Ukraine, Russia achieved in just a few months what Vadim Grechaninov has been trying to do for a decade. His mission as President of the Atlantic Council of Ukraine, a lobbying organization based in Kiev, has been to convince his country’s leaders, citizens and military officers that joining NATO is Ukraine’s only path to security. He never had much success. According to a Pew Research poll taken in 2009, a majority of Ukrainians—51%—opposed NATO membership, while only 28% supported it.

Read more ....

Update: Western powers do not intend to go to war over Ukraine -- RT

My Comment: It appears that NATO decided to take seriously Russia's warnings and threats on admitting Ukraine as a member of NATO. For Ukrainian presdient Poroshenko .... I suspect that this was told to h

Has NATO Policy Failed In Ukraine?

Analysis: NATO Confronts Failed Policy In Ukraine -- Oren Dorell, USA Today

Going into their NATO summit in Wales on Thursday, Western leaders are focusing on a failed policy in Ukraine. And so far, they lack a plan to reverse Russia's aggressive moves to bolster separatists' hold on eastern Ukraine.

Just two weeks ago, Ukrainian troops appeared poised to wrap up a military offensive against Russian-backed separatists who'd been fighting an insurgency since April. But the Ukrainian gains were soon reversed as Russia ignored Western economic sanctions aimed at deterring its backing for the separatists and instead poured military support into the rebel cause, according to the Ukraine government and NATO.

On Wednesday, after Ukraine lost ground to a counteroffensive it blamed on Russian troops and weaponry, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko indicated he was ready to accept a cease-fire even though pro-Russian separatists still control two major cities in eastern Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who continues to deny sending troops or arms into Ukraine, is also signaling interest in a cease-fire.

Read more ....

My Comment: Zero Hedge gives two opposite opinions on what is Putin's strategy .... Is This Putin's Ukraine Strategy? (Zero Hedge). As to what is my take on NATO's policy towards Ukraine .... in short .... an utter and complete disaster.

Russia Warns Ukraine That Joining NATO Will Derail Peace Talks

Kremlin Warns Ukraine Against Joining NATO -- Washington Post

MOSCOW — The Kremlin on Thursday underscored Russia’s opposition to NATO membership for Ukraine, warning that such a move could derail efforts to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine, as leaders of the alliance gathered for a key summit in Wales.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also told the United States not to try to impose its own will on Kiev.

Lavrov’s comments came one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a plan to end the fighting that would entrench gains by pro-Russian rebels and hand a significant defeat to Ukrainian leaders who have sought to regain full control of their nation.

Lavrov said Ukraine’s attempts to abandon its nonaligned status by joining the NATO alliance could “derail all efforts aimed at initiating a dialogue with the aim of ensuring national security,” according to the Russian news agency ITAR-TASS.

Read more ....

More News On Russian Warnings That Peace Talks Will Be Derailed If Ukraine Joins NATO

Russia firmly against NATO’s plans for greater presence in eastern Europe — diplomat -- ITAR-TASS
Russia Says Ukraine NATO Ambitions Threaten Peace Efforts -- WSJ
Ukraine's NATO ambitions threaten talks, Russia warns -- AP
As NATO leaders meet, Russia gives them a warning -- CBS
Russia Warns NATO and U.S. Over Ukraine Before Summit -- Reuters

My Comment: I know that Ukraine will not listen to threats from Moscow .... but Russia is trying to influence NATO members in the hope that they will be the ones who will put the brake on Ukraine desires to join NATO.

President Obama Comments On The Crisis In Eastern Europe

Obama Calls Ukraine A ‘Moment Of Testing’ For NATO -- New York Times

TALLINN, Estonia — President Obama on Wednesday declared the conflict in Ukraine a “moment of testing” for the United States and Europe, calling Russia’s intervention a “brazen assault” on the nation’s territorial integrity that warrants a unified response.

On a day of conflicting reports of a cease-fire agreement between President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia that both soon walked back, Mr. Obama condemned what he called “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine” and said Moscow was guilty of having violated the postwar international order.

“It is a brazen assault on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, a sovereign and independent European nation,” Mr. Obama said in a speech to more than 1,800 students, young professionals and civic and political leaders at a concert hall here. “It challenges that most basic of principles of our international system — that borders cannot be redrawn at the barrel of a gun; that nations have the right to determine their own future.”

Read more ....

More News On President Obama Commenting On The Crisis In Eastern Europe

Obama says NATO must help strengthen Ukraine's military -- Reuters
NATO must help strengthen Ukraine's military: Obama -- Sydney Morning Herald
Obama Says NATO Should Help Strengthen Ukraine's Army -- Radio Free Europe
Barack Obama: U.S. Will Not Tolerate 'Brazen Assault' on Ukraine -- NBC
Ukraine crisis: Russia assaulting Ukraine, says Obama -- BBC
Obama: Vision of peaceful Europe threatened by "Russia's aggression" -- CNN

Obama pledges to defend Baltic allies against Russia -- USA Today
Obama vows NATO to guarantee Baltic independence for ever -- Euronews
Obama reassures Baltic allies of NATO support amid Ukraine conflict -- L.A. Times
President Obama Says U.S. Airforce to Increase Presence in Estonia -- WSJ
Obama pledges to send more aircraft and military to Estonia -- RT

Ukraine Wants To Join NATO

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (L) greets NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen during their meeting in Kiev, August 7, 2014. Rasmussen on Thursday called on Russia to pull its troops back from the border with Ukraine and "step back from the brink". REUTERS/Mykola Lazarenko /Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters

Ukraine To Seek Nato Membership, Says PM Yatsenyuk -- BBC

Ukraine's prime minister has said he will ask parliament to put the country on a path towards Nato membership.

Arseny Yatsenyuk said the government was sending a bill to MPs urging that Ukraine's non-bloc status be cancelled.

The remarks come as Nato holds an emergency meeting to discuss the crisis in eastern Ukraine.

The West has stepped up its accusations of direct Russian involvement in the conflict, following advances by pro-Russian rebels.

On Thursday Nato released satellite images it said showed Russian forces inside Ukraine. and said more than 1,000 troops were operating there.

Russia denies sending troops.

Read more ....

More News On Ukraine Wanting To Join NATO

Ukraine seeks to join NATO; defiant Putin compares Kiev to Nazis -- Reuters
Ukraine to relaunch NATO membership bid -- France 24
Ukrainian Prime Minister Says Government Will Seek NATO Membership -- NPR
Ukraine moves to drop non-aligned status, apply for NATO membership -- RT
Will Ukraine Join NATO? What Needs To Happen For Ukraine To Join Military Alliance -- Dennis Lynch, IBTimes
Ukraine’s bid to join Nato may trigger new Cold War -- Express