WASHINGTON, September 18 (RIA Novosti) - The delivery of US military equipment is under discussion during Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's visit to Washington, but the United States considers political resolution to the crisis to be the best option, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said at a briefing Thursday.
"The security assistance that we are providing today does include the kind of valuable equipment that will be useful to the Ukrainian military. [The assistance] Includes things like body armor, helmets, vehicles, night and thermal vision devices, heavy engineering equipment, advanced radios. It also includes counter-mortar radar equipment that could provide warning of artillery fire. So we are talking about some sophisticated military equipment that could be useful," Earnest said.
Despite the delivery of military equipment, Earnest said the United States considered peaceful settlement the best way to resolve the Ukrainian crisis.
"The best way for the situation in Ukraine to be resolved is through negotiations between the Ukrainian central government and the Russian-backed separatists in the east," the press secretary said.
Poroshenko appeared before US Congress on Thursday and asked for more support against independence forces in the east of Ukraine. The plea for help came two weeks after Kiev agreed to a ceasefire with independence supporters during the September 5 meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine.
Washington said it would allocate $53 million in aid to Ukraine, with $46 million helping strengthen Ukraine's security and $7 million meant for humanitarian aid, according to Reuters.
