Ukraine in Arabic | NATO to support Ukraine but not with arms
KYIV/Ukraine in Arabic/ Ukraine is not a NATO member so it cannot receive arms from the alliance. But individual allies can choose to do so.
Earlier the president Petro Poroshenko has revealed that Ukraine will receive military weapons from US, France, Italy, Poland and Norway, but four of the five swiftly denied any such deal had been reached.
NATO officials have previously said the alliance will not send arms to non-member Ukraine, but have also said individual allies may do so if they wish.
Poroshenko, whose armed forces are battling pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, attended the two-day summit in Wales that ended on Friday.
A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, denied that the United States had made such a pledge. The official told, "No U.S. offer of lethal assistance has been made to Ukraine."
Defense ministry officials in Italy, Poland and Norway also denied plans to provide arms.
In France, an aide at the Elysee palace declined to comment.
"This news is incorrect. Italy, along with other EU and NATO countries, is preparing a package of non-lethal military aid such as bullet-proof vests and helmets for Ukraine," an Italian defense ministry official told.
Norwegian Defense Ministry spokesman Lars Gjemble, speaking to the NTB news agency, said, "We're participating with staff officers in two military exercises in Ukraine, but it's not correct that we're delivering weapons to Ukraine."
A Polish defense ministry spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Jacek Sonta, said by email, "There (was) no agreement concerning supply of modern arms from Poland to Ukraine at the NATO summit."
The news comes as explosions in eastern Ukraine put a ceasefire between Kyiv and pro-Russian separatists in doubt. Russia is fiercely opposed to closer ties between Ukraine and the NATO alliance.
Analysts say if Mariupol is seized by the rebels, it could serve as a base to build a land bridge between Russia and Russian-annexed Crimea.
Donetsk and Mariupol turned quiet again on Sunday afternoon.
Both sides insisted they were strictly observing the ceasefire and blamed their opponents for any violations.