Power line

The resolution of the conflict in the Donbass may be facilitated by the supply of defensive weapons, including anti -tank. This was stated by the special representative of the US State Department for the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict Kurt Volker in an interview with Le Monde.

“When the ceasefire is violated more than a thousand times a day, it is impossible to talk about a frozen conflict or stabilization. We are talking about a real cruel war,” Volker emphasized. According to the diplomat, the war continues because Russia "" presses on Kyiv and is trying to strengthen the split between the Donbass and the rest of Ukraine. "

The US is considering the issue of supplying anti -tank weapons to Ukraine. “So far, no decision has been made, but today we are again considering such an opportunity,” the special representative said. In his opinion, such a step cannot be regarded as provocative. "The fact that the country gets the opportunity to protect itself is nothing provocative. Russians are already in Ukraine. There are more tanks in the Donbass than in the tank parts of France, Britain and Germany combined," the diplomat said.

According to Volker, the Minsk agreements, which allowed the "sitting the Russians at the negotiating table", remain the base of settlement, but they did not solve the problem. According to the American diplomat, the change in the leadership of the United States and France, as well as the approach of the presidential elections in Russia, open the “window of opportunities” to resolve “outside the Norman format.”

As the newspaper notes, Volker interprets the disputed issue of fulfilling the terms of the Minsk agreements in favor of Ukraine: security in the Donbass should be guaranteed before Kyiv goes to political concessions.

Volker approved the introduction of new sanctions against Russia. “The Russians think that time is working for them, and therefore no decision was made aimed at the cessation of hostilities. I think that they are mistaken, that the situation may worsen (for Moscow. - Ed.). We must show them that the price of this conflict may be even higher,” the diplomat said.

According to Volker, in Washington there are no disagreements on the Russian issue, everyone stands for a tough line. He emphasized that the sovereignty of Ukraine and its decision to join NATO cannot be the subject of negotiations or any wider transaction. The US strategy is to "show the Russians and at the same time to tell them that we are ready to move forward, to get out of the conflict."

According to Volker, the previous President of Barack Obama did not dare to take tough measures, including putting the weapons to Ukraine, and thereby sent a "bad signal" both to Moscow and Europe.

The United States previously supplied Ukraine with non -lethal weapons and military equipment - Humvee SUVs, RAVEN drones, as well as various equipment - radio stations, night vision devices, radars.

In March, the US Congress provided for the allocation of $ 150 million for military support for Ukraine . According to the law, these funds will be available to the American military department until October 2017 to provide Ukraine with military support. In particular, it implies the provision of a lethal weapons of a defensive nature and equipment, support for intelligence and logistics of the army and special services, as well as training of personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In the fall of 2015, Obamaimposed a veto on a similar bill . The document, among other things, allowed the supply of weapons to Ukraine in the amount of $ 300 million.