Kyiv, June 20, 2015. United States have to lead the free world in countering the naked aggression of Vladimir Putin against Ukraine and urgently provide it with defensive weapons, intelligence and any necessary assistance, said Senator John McCain at a joint press briefing with senators Tom Cotton and John Barraso at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
Senator McCain noted that the U.S. Senate voted unanimously in favor of arming Ukraine. “We will urge President Barack Obama to implement the will of the Congress and that of the American people,” he said, arguing that the current reluctant support of Ukraine by the United States and Europe is “shameful and disgraceful”.
Energy dependence of the EU member-states on Russian resources might be one of the factors that prevents from taking decisive actions against the latter’s military aggression in eastern Ukraine. “We can export more energy resources to our Western allies, NATO member-states and Ukraine in order to provide the means of economic security,” said Senator John Barraso.
While answering questions on whether arming Ukraine would escalate the conflict further, Senator McCain noted that the United States got help from the French during its own struggle for independence. “America has a tradition of helping the people who are struggling against thugs like Vladimir Putin,” he said.
Senator Tom Cotton, veteran of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, reiterated the message that the military conflict in Ukraine has far wider ramifications: “I felt that I am on the frontline of freedom and today’s Ukrainians defend the Western way of life. As long as Russia occupies Crimea and eastern Ukraine, we cannot stand idle”.
The delegation of U.S. Senators took part in a round of meetings with the Ukrainian leaders, namely President Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk and the mayor of Kyiv Vitaliy Klitschko, complimenting their efforts to tackle corruption.
“The best weapon against Russian propaganda would be a successful and prosperous Ukraine,” Senator McCain concluded.
