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By Patricia Zengerle and Steve Holland

WASHINGTON Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:17am BST

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks while Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (L) listens as they talk to the media during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, September 18, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Larry Downing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko secured $53 million (32 million pounds) in assistance from the United States on Thursday but President Barack Obama for now turned down his appeals for weapons to fight Russian-backed separatists.

Images of Poroshenko sitting side by side with Obama in the Oval Office and of the warm reception he received in a speech to Congress projected a symbolic show of solidarity with the Ukraine leader as he faces down Russia's incursion.

The White House announced that Ukraine would receive $53 million in new aid, including $46 million for military equipment such as counter-mortar detection units, body armour, binoculars, small boats and other gear for Ukraine's security forces and border guards in the east.

Poroshenko used a speech to members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to appeal for lethal aid.

"Please understand me correctly. Blankets, night-vision goggles are also important. But one cannot win the war with blankets." He added: "Even more, we cannot keep the peace with a blanket."

Drawing cheers from those lawmakers who want to arm the former Soviet state, Poroshenko declared his forces "need more military equipment, both lethal and non-lethal, urgently need."

Link:
Ukraine president secures U.S. military aid but not weapons