US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said he was not aware of a secret deal to supply Ukraine with lethal weapons. His words contradict earlier statements by an aide to President Petro Poroshenko that the US is backing Kiev's military with arms, reports GHN based on RT.
"I'm not aware of any kind of a secret deal that was made in Wales about supplying lethal weapons to the Ukrainians," Hagel told journalists on a visit to Turkey's capital, Ankara.
Earlier, Poroshenko aide Yury Lutsenko wrote on his Facebook page that the US, along with France, Italy, Poland and Norway, will supply modern weapons to Ukraine.
The agreements were reached at the Sept. 4-5 NATO summit in Wales, Lutsenko wrote, adding that the West will also send military advisers to Ukraine.
However, Hagel later denied the report Sunday, saying that Washington has not made an offer of"lethal assistance" to Ukraine.
Shortly afterward, Norway, Italy, and Poland also denied the report.
NATO to give Ukraine 15mn euros, lethal and non-lethal military supplies from members
However, Ukraine's Defense Ministry has confirmed that joint US-Ukraine maritime exercises, under the Sea Breeze 2014 program, will be held Sept. 8-10 in the northwestern Black Sea.