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Kerry denies that US, Europe are divided over response to Ukraine crisis, Russia

Associated Press
Published | Updated

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, center, speaks, as French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, left, and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier listen on the last day of the 51. Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) (The Associated Press)

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, left, chats with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on the podium during the 51. Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) (The Associated Press)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gestures as he takes place on the podium during the 51. Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) (The Associated Press)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is denying that the United States and Europe are divided over how to respond to the crisis in Ukraine and how to deal with Russia's role in it.

Speaking to an international security conference in Munich on Sunday, Kerry said the U.S. and its European allies are "united in our diplomacy" on Ukraine. He said the U.S. supports efforts by France and Germany to produce a new plan to end the conflict that is now raging in east Ukraine. "There is no division, there is no split," Kerry said.

His comments came amid reports of a deep rift over the Obama administration's consideration of providing defensive weaponry to Kiev. Germany and France have said they oppose such a move.