Spain and Britain say no to Ukraine

SPAIN and Britain have joined forces to turn down sending military aid to Ukraine in its civil war against separatists.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo held a joint news conference with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in Madrid to announce their governments’ opposition to getting militarily involved in the conflict.

Hammond said: “We don’t believe that at the moment it would be helpful to provide lethal support to the Ukrainian armed forces.”

But he added: “We are clear that we cannot afford to allow the Ukrainian armed forces to collapse, though I think they are long way from that position at the moment.” He went on to say it was not an issue for NATO or the EU, but a matter for individual governments to make a decision on.

Margallo called on Russia to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and said he wanted a “frank and open dialogue.”

A ceasefire agreed to start last Sunday has failed to stop fighting, which has killed thousands since the conflict started.