Speaking to the leader of the Ukraine, under siege by Russian-backed separatists, President Barack Obama assured him “you have a strong bipartisan support here in the United States and the people of America stand with the people of Ukraine.”
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko walks to his motorcade outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington following his meeting with President Barack Obama, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko spoke to the joint session of Congress Thursday morning before going to the White House to meet with Obama after 2 p.m.
Speaking to Congress, Poroshenko asked for more lethal aid and financial support from the United States.
Speaking to reporters after the afternoon meeting with Obama, Poroshenko said he is getting what can be expected from the United States.
“I am getting everything possible,” he told reporters outside the White House after the meeting.
The U.S. will provide $46 million in new security assistance to the Ukraine military but will not provide lethal assistance.
“Unfortunately we have also seen Russian aggression first in Crimea and most recently in portions of Eastern Ukraine that have not only violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country but have also been designed to undermine these critical reform efforts that have been taking place in Ukraine,” Obama said.
Obama also argued there should be a diplomatic solution.
“So let me just say that in addition to the concrete expressions of support through security assistance and economic assistance, we are going to continue to help to mobilize the international community towards a diplomatic solution,” Obama said. “I have great confidence that President Poroshenko is balancing a lot of different variables here in a very difficult situation but he's the right man for the job.”
