Mattis Says Defensive Arms For Ukraine Not Provocative

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, on a visit to Ukraine, said he will provide policy options for Washington with a better understanding about what is happening on the front lines of Kyiv's battle against Russia-backed separatists. Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on August 24, Mattis said that providing defensive weapons to Ukraine should not be seen as provocative "unless you are an aggressor." Ukraine has been fighting against Russia-backed separatists in eastern regions of the country since 2014, and the United States has already provided $750 million in nonlethal weapons and support to Kyiv, according to Mattis. (Reuters)