Wednesday, March 18, 2015

U.S. To Delay Training Ukrainian Soldiers

Photo: Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges (Wikipedia)

Wall Street Journal: U.S. Delays Ukraine Military Training, General Says

Washington wary of giving Moscow excuse to scrap truce

WASHINGTON—The Pentagon is delaying a training program for Ukrainian soldiers so as to avoid giving the Kremlin an excuse to scrap the tenuous peace deal struck last month between Kiev and Moscow-backed separatists, a top U.S. general said Tuesday.

Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commander of U.S. Army in Europe, said U.S. officials wanted to make sure such training—which would involve U.S. military instructors deploying to western Ukraine—doesn’t “give the Russians an opportunity to say, ‘Look, the Americans are bringing in all these soldiers, they are not serious about it.’ ”

The general’s comments, at a breakfast with reporters in Washington, reflect a dilemma the West has faced in dealing with Russia’s yearlong push into Ukraine: how to force President Vladimir Putin to back down without provoking him to escalate the fight instead.


WNU Editor: The situation is already explosive .... why add fuel to the fire. But joint military drills and exercises will still go ahead.

More News On The U.S. Decision To Delay Training Ukrainian Soldiers

US Army Puts Off Ukraine Training in Effort to Preserve Ceasefire -- Military.com
U.S. Delays Ukraine Military Training, General Says -- WSJ
Giving arms to Ukraine 'isn't a strategy,' general says -- The Hill
Why Pentagon is hesitant to arm Ukraine -- Anna Mulrine, CSM
Biden And Poroshenko Discuss Ukraine Ceasefire And US Military Aid -- IBTimes

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