Obama to decide on Ukraine arms 'soon': Kerry
We are not interested in a proxy war, our objective is to change Russia's behavior: Kerry
KIEV (AFP) - US President Barack Obama will "soon" decide whether to arm Ukraine against pro-Russian separatists but prefers a diplomatic solution, Secretary of State John Kerry said in Kiev on Thursday.
"The president will make his decision, I m confident, soon," Kerry told journalists after the White House signalled it may be ready to provide weapons, adding that "the first preference is obviously to be able to resolve this through diplomacy."
Kerry said Obama would wait until the latest Franco-German peace initiative had been presented Saturday to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is accused of backing the separatists.
"We are not interested in a proxy war, our objective is to change Russia s behaviour," Kerry said, pledging the US and its partners would consider "all options that are available to us...that will help us achieve a negotiated solution".
"When the president deems it necessary or is ready he will make his decision."
