On Thursday, the US Congress passed by a veto-proof majority the $612 billion National Defense Authorization Act to fund the US armed forces through 2016. Particularly, the document presumes some $300 million in lethal military assistance to Ukraine. Now the act is due to be approved by President Barack Obama.
"The decision of the US Senate undermines the fundamental principles of the Minsk accords," the lawmaker said.
The budget amendment was initiated by Republican Senator Rob Portman. It approves supplying Kiev with lethal weapons, including light weapons and grenade launchers.
According to the text of the document, the Pentagon in coordination with the US State Department can spend up to $300 million on training, military equipment and logistics support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The "Normandy four" talks took place on February 12 amid a serious aggravation of the situation in Donbass. The leaders of four countries – Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany – adopted a package of proposals, including a ceasefire in Donbass, withdrawal of heavy weapons and the creation of a security zone.
One of the main provisions of the Minsk agreements was the adoption of a constitutional reform and a permanent law on the special status of separate districts in the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions. The agreements prescribe that decentralization must be implemented in accordance with representatives of those territories. However, Kiev has repeatedly ignored the demand saying that it will not hold talks with breakaway regions.
