MOSCOW – The Trump administration added to confusion about its policy on Russia and Ukraine with a statement after a phone call with Ukraine’s president that noted Russia’s involvement in the conflict there but appeared to misstate where the fighting is taking place.
The statement, released late Feb. 4, said President Donald Trump had “a very good call” with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, addressing various topics including “Ukraine’s long-running conflict with Russia.” Moscow has denied involvement in a nearly three-year conflict with Ukrainian government forces in Ukraine’s east, despite evidence that it provides not only weapons and fighters to pro-Russian separatists there but also its own military units.
