U.S. Rebuffs Ukraine Military-Aid Request -- Wall Street Journal
U.S. Worried About Inflaming Russia Tensions, U.S. Officials Say
Ukraine's interim government has asked Washington to provide its military forces with arms, ammunition and intelligence support, senior U.S. officials said, but the U.S. has balked at providing lethal aid for now, wary of inflaming tensions with Russia.
The U.S. response reflects the Pentagon's reluctance to be seen as directly supporting the Ukrainian military during the country's standoff with Russian forces, which have seized the Ukrainian region of Crimea. The potential risks were underscored by Russia's move Thursday to conduct another military exercise near Ukraine.
Washington wants to show its support for the country's interim leaders without further antagonizing an unpredictable Moscow or inadvertently emboldening the Ukrainian military to take steps that could spark a more direct conflict.
"It's not a forever 'no,' it's a 'no for now,' " a senior U.S. official said.
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My Comment: Sending military weapons to Ukraine .... if the White House had agreed to this request it would inflame the entire region by a factor of (fill in the blank).
Update: The military buildup on the borders continue .... Russian military and NATO both increase presence close to Ukraine -- Euronews
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