On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported citing US diplomats and military officials that the US state and defense departments had devised a plan to supply Ukraine with anti-tank missiles and other weaponry. According to the media outlet, the Pentagon and the State Department are seeking the approval of the White House on the issue.
“Such US step may bring much more serious consequences in the political sense. The deliveries of lethal weapons to the Ukrainian side might be perceived by Kiev as a motivation to aggression. And this is despite the fact that Kiev has been preparing for resumption of full-scale military operations against us, and only its Western curators are holding Kiev back,” Zakharchenko said.
Ukraine, which has been mired in a military conflict in the southeastern regions for three years, has repeatedly asked for supplies of lethal and non-lethal weapons from the European Union and the United States
The majority of European politicians spoke against the supply of arms to Ukraine. For example, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier previously stated that the supply of arms to Ukraine is a very risky and counterproductive way out of the crisis. The chairman of the NATO military committee, Gen. Peter Pavel, said that he did not see the need for the supply of lethal weapons to Kiev, because it would only increase the suffering of people.
Russia has repeatedly warned against plans to supply arms to Ukraine, since this step will only lead to an escalation of the conflict in the Donbass region.