Following the Biden administration's announcement of supplying high-tech, advanced, and modern weaponry to Ukraine in its fight against Russia, Moscow today has said that the planned delivery of new US weapons to Ukraine, increases the risk of drawing the United States into direct conflict with Russia, AFP reported.
"Any arms supplies that continue, are on the rise, increase the risks of such a development," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the RIA Novosti news agency.
Earlier in the day, US President Joe Biden authorised the transfer of multiple launch rocket systems to Ukraine.
"This is unprecedented, this is dangerous," Ryabkov said.
The Biden administration said that it will send Ukraine a small number of high-tech, medium-range rocket systems, a critical weapon that Ukrainian leaders have been begging for as they struggle to stall Russian progress in the Donbas region.
The rocket systems are part of a new $700 million tranche of security assistance for Ukraine from the US that will include helicopters, Javelin anti-tank weapon systems, tactical vehicles, spare parts and more, two senior administration officials said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin had on Saturday warned the leaders of Germany and France against ramping up arms supplies to Ukraine, saying they could further destabilise the situation in the pro-Western country.
During a three-way telephonic conversation with the leaders, according to Kremlin, Putin had told French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that the continuing arms supplies to Ukraine were "dangerous", warning "of the risks of further destabilisation of the situation and aggravation of the humanitarian crisis."
(with sources inputs)
