U.S.

shiftsstance
onmilitaryaidto
Ukraine
(CNN)TheUnitedStatesisnow
consideringsendinglethalaidtohelp
theUkrainiangovernmentfendoff
attacksfromproRussianrebelsinthe
easternpartofUkraine.

Thisassistancewouldcomeintheform
ofsocalled"defensivelethalaid,"
whichcouldincludeantitank,antiair
andantimortarsystems.

TheNewYorkTimesfirstreportedthe
possiblechangeinpolicy,saying
NATOcommanderGen.Phil
Breedlove,isinsupportofthenew
lethalassistance,andthatSecretaryof
StateJohnKerry,ChairmanoftheJoint
ChiefsGen.MartinDempseyand
NationalSecurityAdviserSusanRice
areallopentoconsideringtheidea.

AU.S.officialnowtellsCNNthatmilitaryleadership
supportsdefensivelethalaidbeingpartofthediscussion,
buttheadministrationisstilltryingtoassesswhatreaction
itcouldillicitfromtheRussiangovernment,whichtheU.S.
maintainsisbackingrebelsineasternUkraine.
InaninterviewlastweekwithCNN'sFareedZakaria,
PresidentBarackObamaalludedtoconcerninthe
internationalcommunitythatPresidentVladimirPutinis
furtherisolatingRussia,andbypassingopportunitiestode
escalatetheconflict.
"Whatisabsolutelytrueisthatifyouhavealeaderwho
continuallydrivespasttheofframpsthatwe'veprovided,
giventhesizeoftheRussianmilitary,giventhefactthat
UkraineisnotaNATOcountryandsoasaconsequence

thereareclearlimitsintermsofwhatwewoulddo
militarily,youknow,Mr.Putinhasnotbeenstoppedso
far,"Obamasaid.
TheU.S.officialwhospokewithCNNsaidthearmsoption
camebacktotheforefrontfollowingRussianadvancesand
weaponsshipmentsintoUkraineinrecentweeks.
ButtheU.S.militaryleadershipfeelsanyarmsshipments
toUkrainemustbepartofabroaderpackageofoptions.
InhisCNNinterview,Obamahedgedawayfromthe
possibilityoflethalaid,callinginsteadforacontinuationof
economicsanctions.
"Tothosewhowouldsuggestthatweneedtodomore,
whatI'vesaidtothemisthatwecanexacthigherand
highercosts,andthat'sexactlywhatwe'redoingandwe
canbringdiplomaticpressuretobear,"Obamasaid,adding,
"IdontthinkthatitwouldbewisefortheUnitedStatesor
theworldtoseeanactualmilitaryconflictbetweenthe
UnitedStatesandRussia."
ButinapressconferenceinIndia,thePresidentseemedto
leavethedooropentosomekindsofdefensivelethalaid,
saying,"Iwilllookatalladditionaloptionsthatare
availabletousshortofamilitaryconfrontationintryingto
addressthisissue."
OnMonday,agroupofformerU.S.andNATOofficials
releasedareportinwhichtheycalledontheObama
administrationtoprovidefurthersupporttotheUkrainian
government,warningthatfailuretostopincursionsin
UkrainecouldemboldenRussia.

"IftheUnitedStatesandNATOdonotadequatelysupport
Ukraine,Moscowmaywellconcludethatthekindsof
tacticsithasemployedoverthepastyearcanbeapplied
elsewhere,"theauthorssaid,specificallyhighlighting
concernsforregionalNATOalliesEstoniaandLatvia.
ThereportspecificallycallsontheU.S.toprovidelight
antiarmormissiles,aswellasnonlethalequipmentsuch
asarmoredHumveesandUAVs.
"SomeintheWestareconcernedthatprovisionofmilitary
assistance,particularlyoflethalarms,wouldcauseRussia
toescalatethecrisis,"thereportconcedes."Wevehemently
disagree."
TheauthorsciteactionstheRussiangovernmenthas
alreadytakentoescalatethecrisis,includingtheseizureof
Crimea,andtheirarmingofrebelgroups.
"EnhancedmilitaryassistancewouldincreaseKyiv's
capabilitytodeterfurtherRussianescalation,"theyadd.
Amongthereport'sauthorsareMicheleFlournoy,aformer
UndersecretaryofDefenseintheObamaadministration,
andIvoDaalder,aformerforeignpolicyadvisertothe
presidentandU.S.PermanentRepresentativetoNATO.