US Congressman Says Unintended Results of Arming Ukraine Must be Assessed

© REUTERS / Oleksandr KlymenkoUkrainian servicemen guard their position in the village of Luhanska, Luhansk region
Ukrainian servicemen guard their position in the village of Luhanska, Luhansk region - Sputnik International
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Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke commented on the US military assistance to Ukraine, saying that military and policy leadership of the country should evaluate all potential consequences the aid.

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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US policymakers and military leadership must examine the potential consequences of providing direct military aid to the government in Kiev, Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke told Sputnik on Tuesday.

“What are the potential unintended consequences of arming Ukraine? I don’t know the answer,” O’Rourke told Sputnik, stating his concern that potential consequences do exist. “I don’t know what those potential threats are in Ukraine, and I would like to hear from our military leadership and also from our policy leadership about how they are approaching those potential consequences.”

The congressman argued that at time the United States has initiated interventions “that make a lot of sense at the time,” including supporting the Mujahadeen in the Soviet-Afghan war, he said, adding that however “we didn’t look at…the second or third order consequences.”

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O’Rourke noted that having a clearer picture of those potential consequences would allow him to “make a much more informed decision” in fulfilling requests for defensive aid to Ukraine.

During a Tuesday House Armed Services Committee hearing, O’Rourke asked Director of Operations for the US Joint Staff, Lieutenant General William Mayville to explain the consequences of military aid involvement in Ukraine. Mayville expressed the need for the US to uphold its NATO commitments, but did not elaborate potential consequences.

The US Congress has already passed legislation authorizing $350 million in possible defensive aid to Ukraine, but according to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee press release, the funds have not yet been appropriated.

US President Barack Obama has been reluctant to provide military assistance to Kiev, a position his administration is continuously assessing, according to a Monday statement by the White House.

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