Feb 09 2015

Graham on Ukraine and Defensive Weapons

Contact: Kevin Bishop (864) 250-1417 or Lorcan Connick (202) 224-5972

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement on President Obama's reluctance to provide defensive weapons to Ukraine.

"President Obama's continual weakness in the face of aggression is making the world a more dangerous place. His reluctance to provide defensive weapons - which Ukraine desperately needs to protect themselves against Russian intervention - is another low point in a presidency which has many to choose from.

"In the Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine agreed to relinquish its nuclear arsenal while Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom pledged to respect the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine's borders. But this latest episode once again shows that under President Obama's leadership it is better to be America's enemy than her friend. It's a sad fact that our enemies are seldom challenged while our friends are constantly undercut and abandoned.

"The Ukrainian people do not have time for President Obama's "strategic patience." It is time for President Obama to quit equivocating and quickly provide Ukraine the defensive weapons it needs."

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