Ukraine’s FM argues his country deserves western military backup no less than … – ITAR


German Chancellor Angela Merkel

BERLIN, August 21. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin argues that Kyiv deserves military backup from the West in its standoff with the militias of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics no less than Iraq.

“I believe that it would be quite logical to extend technical and military assistance to Ukraine in its struggle against terrorism the way it is done in Iraq,” Klimkin told in an interview to Cologne’s daily Express on the eve of Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to Kyiv, due on August 23. “This struggle meets the fundamental interests of the European Union.”

Klimkin also claims that Ukraine needs support in the political, economic and public spheres.

“We need an equivalent of the Marshall Plan for Ukraine,” Klimkin said. “After World War II the United States played the key role in implementing the Marshall Plan. These days Germany may undertake to spearhead such a historical mission.”