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| Kerry heads for Kiev as US mulls providing arms |
The top US diplomat was to meet with Ukrainian leaders including President Petro Poroshenko amid mounting international alarm at the conflict on Europe s doorstep.
Four people were killed Wednesday when a hospital in a suburb of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, was shelled.
President Barack Obama s nominee for defense secretary said Wednesday he would likely support providing weapons to Ukraine to help the Kiev government.
"I m very much inclined in that direction... because I think we need to support the Ukrainians in defending themselves," Carter said when asked by Senator John McCain if he supported delivering "defensive weapons" to Kiev.
Carter said."The nature of those arms I can t say right now" as he had not conferred with US military commanders or Ukrainian leaders on the issue.
And Kerry s spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, also remained cautious, insisting there was still no change in US policy -- which is currently to give only non-lethal support such as body armor.
Kerry is only due to be on the ground for a few hours on Thursday, before flying later in the day to Munich where he will take part in the annual security conference taking place over the weekend in the southern German city.
Apart from the crisis in Ukraine, global leaders will also discuss the battle to defeat the Islamic State group amid revulsion at the horrific murder of a captured Jordanian pilot.
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