An increasing number of Obama administration and military officials are throwing their support behind providing weapons to the Ukrainian government currently fighting against pro-Russian fighters, The New York Times reported.
Following a series of setbacks experienced by Ukrainian forces in the past few weeks, the Obama administration is reportedly reevaluating the need for military aid.
Both Secretary of State John Kerry, who is scheduled to visit Kiev on Thursday, and Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are open to discussions about providing military weapons and hardware to Ukrainian forces, officials told the Times.
Obama's national security adviser, Susan E. Rice, previously against arming Ukrainian forces, is now reconsidering the issue, officials said.
The increased support for lethal aid comes in part because the West's economic sanctions on Russia have failed to prevent the country from sending troops and weapons to assist rebels in eastern Ukraine. Russia has long denied that it is involved in the conflict.
"I say every time: if you allege this so confidently, present the facts," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Janurary, reported Reuters. "But nobody can present the facts, or doesn't want to."
President Obama signed the Ukraine Freedom Support Act into law in December 2014, which specifically detailed a list of military aid to be given to Ukraine, including "anti-tank and anti-armor weapons, crew weapons and ammunition, counter-artillery radars to identify and target artillery batteries, fire control, range finder, and optical and guidance and control equipment, tactical troop-operated surveillance drones, and secure command and communications equipment."
But Obama has withheld major support due to fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin would respond aggressively. Only items like body armor, night-vision goggles, first aid kits, and engineering equipment have been provided thus far.
In an interview that aired on CNN Sunday, Obama suggested it would be unwise to instigate a full-fledged war between the two countries, which would essentially be a proxy war with the U.S., reported the International Business Times.
"To those who would suggest that we need to do more, you know, what I've said to them is that we can exact higher and higher costs, and that's exactly what we're doing, and we can bring diplomatic pressure to bear. I don't think that it would be wise for the United States or the world to see an actual military conflict between the United States and Russia," Obama told CNN's Fareed Zakaria.
