Ukraine needs strong army, defensive weapons to stop Russia – Yatseniuk

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk has said that the only way to deescalate the situation in eastern Ukraine is via the Minsk agreements, but Ukraine needs a strong army to realize the agreements.

"To make this decision real and execute the Minsk agreements, we must reinforce diplomatic efforts with a strong Ukrainian army," Yatseniuk said in the interview on CNN during his working visit to the U.S.

The interview has been made available on the Cabinet of Ministers website.

Yatseniuk also welcomed the decision of the U.S. government to send Ukraine military instructors in to train the National Guard of Ukraine and provide technical assistance with electronic equipment.

"But we need more, mainly the defensive weapons to detain Russia," he said.

He said Russia supplies terrorists with hundreds of tanks, guns, modern artillery, even SA-11, SA-15 and SA-22 missiles.

"More than 10,000 Russian military boots are on the Ukraine's soil. And, in addition, about 30,000 of Russia-led terrorists trained by Russian FSB and Russian army," Yatseniuk said.

Yatseniuk said that Russia is a threat to the US, EU and the world as well..

He stressed the need to maintain unity between the EU and U.S. to "act boldly and wisely together against Russian aggression."

"It’s up to the free world to stop this Russia-led aggression and to make Russia pay the price and obey international law and order," he added.