The US must transfer defensive weapons to Ukraine, including anti-tank systems, so that Russia can not rekindle the conflict in the Donbass.

About this in an article for the New York Times wrote a former US Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, reports "The Mirror of the Week".

According to him, the Russian occupation made the summer very hot.

Blinken recalled that only in August the OSCE recorded in the Donbas about 1000-1500 violations of the truce at night.

"Ukrainian soldiers and civilians die daily or get injured. At the time of the attacks, there were fewer, but Moscow this month held large-scale military exercises in the West of Russia and Belarus, provoking fear of an even greater offensive, "the author noted..

He stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to destabilize the situation in Ukraine in order to drive her into her so-called "sphere of influence".

Blinken added that the White House is quietly developing a policy that could break the ice, but it is not yet known whether US President Donald Trump will agree with it.

According to him, the main advisors of the US President: Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary James Mattis and National Security Adviser Herbert McMaster correctly understand the occupation of part of Ukraine by Russia and united in a united front.

"Russia can not decide the future of Ukraine. Trump's team correctly believes that if the US can not oppose the violation of these principles, the international order that America has built will weaken, "reads the publication.

It is reported that the Trump Administration has made it clear to the Russian authorities that the imposed sanctions will remain in force until the Russian troops leave the Ukrainian territory.

Blinken believes that the "exclamation point" in this situation would be the transfer of weapons to Ukraine, including anti-tank systems.

"To prevent Putin from rekindling the situation in the East of Ukraine, or even biting off another piece of the country, could knowledge that the Russian troops will suffer serious losses if they decide on such a situation. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was the main opponent of the transfer of lethal weapons to Ukraine, but now she is ready for this. When you listen to Putin's lies from year to year, this leads to this effect, "reads the article.

In addition, he stressed that the time for granting Ukraine defensive weapons has already come.