WASHINGTON, June 19 - US Vice President Mike Pence will meet Petro Poroshenko in Washington on Tuesday, the White House said, but there was no word on whether the Ukrainian president will be hosted by Donald Trump, AFP reported.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said that Poroshenko would meet the US number two, but would not say whether a meeting with Trump is on the cards. Ukrainian officials also refused to comment.

“If we have any updates on the president’s schedule we’ll let you know later today,” Spicer said.

A Poroshenko visit to Washington without meeting Trump is likely to be seen by Kiev as a diplomatic snub, and be cheered by Moscow.

Ukrainian officials have long been concerned about Trump’s seeming unwillingness to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to solve the crisis.

For more than three years Ukraine has been fighting a pro-Kremlin insurgency in its eastern regions that has claimed more than 10,000 lives.

Last week Secretary of State Rex Tillerson suggested that the United States should not be “handcuffed” by an international plan to end the crisis in eastern Ukraine.

The United States, along with European powers, have demanded that both sides withdraw heavy weapons and observe a ceasefire.

Tillerson appeared to argue the United States no longer sees adherence to that accord as a precondition for Russian sanctions relief.

Poroshenko is expected to raise the question of greater American military support, specifically providing Ukraine's armed forces with lethal weapons, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

Ukraine has repeatedly requested more advanced weaponry like Javelin antitank missiles to better defend itself against Russia-backed separatist forces. Defense officials have also complained about the poor quality of equipment previously provided: old Humvees that frequently break down, drones that are missing cameras or are easily jammed by Russian equipment.

Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, refused to supply lethal weaponry, fearing that would escalate the war, instead limiting equipment to things like flak jackets, night-vision goggles, and radar systems to counter artillery.

Poroshenko’s trip comes ahead of Trump's first scheduled meeting with Putin, at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7-8. That meeting will be closely watched for clues about the White House's thinking about Russian ties.

The Poroshenko trip also follows reports that the conflict between Ukrainian armed forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine has intensified yet again, despite the peace deal known as the Minsk accords.

At least 10,090 people, including 2,777 civilians, have been killed in the conflict since it began in April 2014, according to the United Nations. (afp/rfe/ez)