(Newswire.net — March 8, 2015) — Amid efforts to maintain a cease-fire in Ukraine between Russian-backed local rebels and Kiev, the US is considering the idea of arming Ukraine troops. However, most of the EU NATO members resist that idea, beliving it to be very dangerous.
EU countries say the arming Ukraine could put them into a confrontation with Russia. Europeans cite the progress in implementing a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine between Kiev and the rebels.
The idea of providing lethal aid to Kiev is popular among many NATO officials and some American politicians, however EU countries say the arming Ukraine could further escalate tensions with Russia.
“The European Union today is extremely realistic about developments in Russia. But we will never be trapped or forced or pushed or pulled into a confrontative [sic] attitude,” the EU’s Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini told the media on Friday, following an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Riga, Latvia.
Mogherini said she still believe that “around our continent – not only in but around – cooperation is far better than confrontation.”
Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said the EU’s goal in Ukraine is “a ceasefire, not an escalation,” but Germany and France hold the strongest stand against arming Kiev.
“The statements [on Ukraine] from our source do not fully coincide with the statements made by NATO and the US,” German FM Frank-Walter Steinmeier said after the conference. “We are interested in not allowing it to grow into a misunderstanding.”
French PM Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel Initiated a peace talks with Vladimir Putin, Kiev and Ukraine rebels, however, the German Spiegel magazine reported on Saturday that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government suspects the US and NATO of trying to derail the EU’s mediation effort in Ukraine.
Reportedly, the cease-fire is mostly holding as the both parts pulled heavy weapons from the front line, and OSCE monitors are reporting a ‘significant reduction in violence’.
The EU says it wants to increase the number of OSCE observers on the ground, doubling its current ceiling of 500 because the more observers the tougher it would be to violate the conditions of the Minsk agreement with impunity.