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German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden began a three-way meeting on the sidelines of a security conference in Munich, Germany on Saturday in order to discuss the emerging rift between the U.S. and Europe on over how to handle the ongoing Ukraine crisis.
Biden pledged on Saturday the continuing U.S. support to Ukraine in light of the current crisis in the east of the country.
“Most immediately, we need to remain resolute and united in our support of Ukraine,” Biden said in an address to the Munich Security Conference.
U.S. military aid to Ukraine this year will be US$120 million, including US$75 million that will be allocated towards training Ukrainian soldiers, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt stated last month.
The United States is considering whether to provide weapons to Ukraine in its fight against the pro-Russia separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.
"We believe that the Ukrainian people have the right to defend themselves," Biden stressed, touching upon the issue of arming Ukraine.
However, Germany's Angela Merkel on Saturday rebuffed calls to send U.S. arms to Ukrainian troops, warning that it would escalate the conflict.
"This conflict cannot be resolved by military means," Merkel said at the Munich Security Conference. "It is all the more important now to set out substantial steps that serve to fill with life the Minsk agreement."
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