WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday that the Russian economy had “ground to a halt” as a result of U.S. and European sanctions and said Ukraine’s weaponry was sufficient to fight separatists in the eastern part of the country.
Asked whether the United States was reconsidering sending lethal aide to Ukraine because of Russian troops gathering at its border, Obama noted that the Russian military was much bigger than Ukraine’s.
Until now Ukraine has faced separatists who cannot match the Ukrainian army, he said.
“If you start seeing an invasion by Russia, that’s obviously a different set of questions. We’re not there yet,” he said.
Reporting by Roberta Rampton, Matt Spetalnick and Jeff Mason; Editing by Sandra Maler
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