Massive Russian military games harass EU

By PeraclesPlease on Thu, 08/24/2017 - 1:23am |

URL:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/24/russia-military-exercises-tensions-west-zapad

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This little bird just tweeted that Mattis is going to Kiev tomorrrow, read his link, it's short & straight to the point:

Sec Mattis's visit to #Kiev provides opening for US to correct #Ukraine policy & provide lethal defensive assistance https://t.co/WyA8u9ODVp
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) August 23, 2017

by artappraiser on Thu, 08/24/2017 - 2:20am

McCain was right to point attention away from the Trump du jour trolling, this is what is happening, the grownups are just taking charge (like it or not!) while Trump plays with his demagogue toys:

In Kiev, Mattis says Moscow wants to redraw borders by force

CBS/AP August 24, 2017, 7:31 AM

On the 26th anniversary of Ukraine's independence from Moscow, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis sharply criticized Russia as an international menace and said the Trump administration will not accept Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region.

After attending a raucous and colorful independence day parade, Mattis met with President Petro Poroshenko and other top government leaders. He is the first Pentagon chief to visit the former Soviet republic since Robert Gates in 2007.

"Have no doubt," Mattis said at a news conference with Poroshenko. "The United States stands with Ukraine." He said Washington does not, "and we will not," accept Russia's annexation of Crimea, a 2014 action that was followed by Russian military intervention in support of separatists in eastern Ukraine.

"Despite Russia's denials, we know they are seeking to redraw international borders by force," Mattis said, an ambition by Moscow that Mattis said is undermining sovereign European nations and stirring tension [....]

Jim Mattis, in Ukraine, Says U.S. Is Thinking of Sending Weapons

By MICHAEL R. GORDON @ NYTimes.com, Aug. 24

KIEV, Ukraine — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis vowed on Thursday to help Ukraine stand up to Russian violations of its sovereignty and signaled that the Trump administration was considering providing defensive weapons to the Ukrainian military.

President Barack Obama had resisted such a step, fearing it would be seen as a provocation by Russia. In the first visit to Ukraine by an American defense secretary in nearly a decade, Mr. Mattis seemed to be anticipating that argument.

“Defensive weapons are not provocative unless you are an aggressor, and clearly Ukraine is not an aggressor since it is their territory where the fighting is happening,” Mr. Mattis said at a joint news conference with Ukraine’s president, Petro O. Poroshenko.

State and Defense Department officials have recommended that the United States provide Javelin anti-tank missiles and other defensive weapons to Ukraine to strengthen its forces and raise the potential cost to the Kremlin of a Russian attack.

But President Trump, who has consistently taken a more conciliatory position toward Russia than have his top national security advisers, has yet to take up the matter [....]

by artappraiser on Thu, 08/24/2017 - 3:30pm

Massive Russian military games harass EU

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