WSJ calls on West to arm Ukraine

The Wall Street Journal newspaper urged the United States and other Western countries to supply modern weapons to Ukraine, arguing that "the West is obliged to take measures so that Russia does not win."

"We are all in favor of sanctions against the Kremlin, especially those that are reflected directly on Putin and his closest circle," says an editorial published on Thursday. - But if the West wants to stop the Kremlin’s military offensive, then it is also necessary to resort to military means. The supply of weapons to Ukraine to protect its territory is the only way to end the Putin siege. ”

The newspaper claims that the purpose of the latest offensive for the Kremlin was probably to capture Mariupol, which would strengthen the separatist control over the Donetsk region and would improve the maritime communication between the Crimea-occupied Russia and the main territory of Russia.

An editorial says that European leaders are warning Moscow that it may face new sanctions if the separatists continue the offensive. But, given the hype that French President Francois Hollande and others gave about the easing of sanctions, Putin may think that he can take Mariupol first and then try to "bring down the price the West wants to assign."

The editorial says that “the West must take measures so that Russia does not win.”

“The Ukrainian military has surrounded Mariupol with three levels of defense, but a defeat here will put the defense of the rest of Ukraine in serious doubt,” the newspaper points out, writes Voice of America.