Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko has warned eastern rebels that the army is ready to fend off any attack if a fragile ceasefire crumbles.
But in a statement he said there was “no reason to panic” as the army has sufficient resources to repel any offensive.
However, shortly afterwards Ukraine’s Prime Minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, made it clear that strengthening the military was his number one priority and the main threat lies beyond the country’s borders.
“National defence and security is our first and foremost target. We need to build up an army capable of stopping Russian military aggression. An army capable of defending its citizens. That’s the number one task now,” said Yatsenyuk.
Our correspondent in Kyiv Angelina Kariakina says the issue could speed up the power-sharing talks after last month’s election.
“Candidates for the new government, proposed by PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk are yet to be discussed with all the other parties. However, regardless who are the new ministers, war remains the number one challenge for the Ukrainian government.”
