U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Robert Menendez says Russia's recent incursions into Ukraine are an 'invasion,' and the West should provide lethal aid to Ukraine's army.
“This is no longer the question of rebel separatists, this is an invasion,” Menendez said in Kyiv on Sept. 1.
He said he believes that Russia is fighting against Europe on the territory of Ukraine.
In his words, Ukraine needs a united help of Europe and the United States in several directions. “We should be providing the Ukrainians with the type of defensive weapons that will impose a cost upon Putin for further aggression,” he said.
He also said he had sent a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama, calling on him to support tougher sanctions and on the United States and the European Union to realize a new reality and provide defensive weapons to the Ukrainian government.
The senator did not elaborate on such weapons, yet explained they’re used to fight tanks, armored personnel carriers, missile launchers being brought by Russia onto Ukraine’s territory.
