Ukraine's Defense Minister, US Congress Delegation Discuss Defense Cooperation- Statement

Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak on Thursday discussed the security situation in Ukraine and further defense cooperation with Washington with the delegation of the US Congress, the press service of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st March, 2019) Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak on Thursday discussed the security situation in Ukraine and further defense cooperation with Washington with the delegation of the US Congress, the press service of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said.

On Wednesday, representatives of the US Senate and Congress arrived in Kiev for talks on the US-Ukraine partnership.

"During the talks, the sides discussed the security situation in Ukraine and globally ... [as well as issues] related to further bilateral defense cooperation between Ukraine and the United States," the statement said.

The ministry said that Poltorak noted the importance of the assistance that Ukraine received from its strategic partners, in particular, the United States.

Representatives of the US Congress assured the Ukrainian side of continuing the policy of supporting Kiev in the struggle for territorial integrity and the aspiration for further Euro-Atlantic integration.

In 2017, the administration of US President Donald Trump approved weapons deliveries to Ukraine, including Javelin portable anti-tank missile systems. The administration of the previous president, Barack Obama, did not do so despite Ukraine's repeated requests for armaments from the United States.

Russia has repeatedly warned global community against supplying weapons to Ukraine, saying such actions would result in escalating the military conflict in the country's eastern Donbas region. This stance has also been supported by a number of European officials.