Obama weighs up arming Ukraine

Russia sanctions to stay in place for now ‘to give peace a chance’

US president Barack Obama made clear he was some way from a decision on whether to arm Ukraine in its conflict against Russian-backed rebels, saying yesterday he still hoped for a diplomatic solution.

“The measure by which I make these decisions is: ‘Is it more likely to be effective than not?’,” Obama said at a news conference with German chancellor Angela Merkel, who opposes providing Ukraine with weapons to fight separatists in its east.

Russia had violated a September peace deal by sending more tanks and artillery into eastern Ukraine, Obama said, adding that he and Merkel had agreed sanctions must stay for now and Moscow’s isolation would worsen if it continued on its current course.

Merkel is due to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko tomorrow with French president Francois Hollande.

EU ministers yesterday held off tightening sanctions to give the talks a chance.

Merkel and Obama have come under fire from US foreign policy hawks in the Republican-controlled Congress who want weapons sent to the Ukraine army.

The US Senate and House unanimously passed legislation in December that authorised sending arms for Kiev. Obama signed the measure into law but it gave him leeway over whether or when to implement it.

Congressional aides said yesterday politicians were working on legislation that would commit Obama to providing arms.

“The Ukrainians are being slaughtered and we’re sending them blankets and meals”, Senator John McCain said at a security conference in Munich at the weekend. Nine Ukrainian troops were killed on Sunday and seven civilians also died, Kiev said yesterday .

But Merkel made clear in Munich her opposition to arming Kiev. “I understand the debate but I believe more weapons will not lead to the progress Ukraine needs. I really doubt that,” she said.

A Russian speaker who grew up in East Germany, Merkel has taken the lead in pursuing a diplomatic solution, speaking with Putin by phone dozens of times over the past year and meeting him in Russia, Australia and Italy in recent months.

Last week, Merkel and Hollande met Putin in Moscow and followed this up with a conference call on Sunday also including Poroshenko. But so far no breakthrough has emerged in the nearly year-long conflict that has claimed over 5,000 lives.

Yesterday, EU foreign ministers approved visa bans and asset freezes on more Ukrainian separatists and Russians. But they will wait at least until February 16 before imposing the measures to give peace efforts more time, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said.

Moscow warned yesterday that Putin will not be spoken to in the language of ultimatums.