WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Breedlove's comments echoed US Senator John McCain's repeated calls on both the Obama and Trump administrations to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine.
The former NATO forces' in Europe commander, Breedlove, is known for his anti-Russian stance and has repeatedly urged the US to boost military presence in Europe.
"The Obama administration was reluctant to provide Ukraine with the defensive weapons necessary to better defend itself. The new term should relook at that," Breedlove told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The situation in southeastern Ukraine has escalated over the past few weeks, in particular near the town of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region, where clashes between Kiev forces and the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic militia have intensified. The conflicting parties have both accused each other of initiating the violence.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier in the day that the deployment of Ukrainian military hardware to Donbass will have an impact on the process of peace settlement in eastern Ukraine.
