Russia has sent an official note to the United States asking the Biden administration to stop sending weapons to Ukraine, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said on Monday.
In an interview with the Russian-language state television channel Russia-24, Antonov criticized Washington’s latest $ 800 million arms package to Ukraine.
President Joe Biden announced military aid on April 21, promising to send heavy artillery, ammunition and new Phoenix Ghost tactical drones developed by the US Air Force to Ukraine.
Russia’s Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov spoke at a world affairs event at the Fairmont Hotel on November 29, 2017 in San Francisco, California. He said Monday that Russia has sent an official note to the United States asking the Biden administration to stop sending weapons to Ukraine. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Antonov told the TV channel that sending weapons to Kyiv “does not contribute to the search for a diplomatic solution and settlement of the situation.”
“That’s a huge number,” he said.
Antonov said that the Kremlin in its official note stressed the “unacceptability” of the United States to supply weapons to Ukraine.
“We insisted on ending this practice,” the diplomat said.
He accused the United States of “trying to raise the stakes even more and make the situation worse”.
Biden unveiled his weapon pack in circulation from Roosevelt’s White House room last week.
“We are in a critical period of time when they will prepare the stage for the next phase of this war,” the president said, referring to Russia’s declaration days earlier that its offensive in Ukraine had entered a new phase – controlling eastern Ukraine .
The United States and its allies are “moving as fast as possible” to provide Kyiv with additional weapons and equipment, Biden said.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters Thursday that the new Phoenix Ghost tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, manufactured by California-based AEVEX Aerospace, will help Ukraine “strike” the Russian military.
The drones “very well” meet the needs of Ukraine’s armed forces, while Moscow is stepping up its efforts in Donbass.
Biden also promised to send dozens of howitzers and 144,000 rounds of ammunition to Kyiv.
The Pentagon said in a statement Thursday that the United States “will continue to use all available tools to support Ukraine’s armed forces in the face of Russian aggression.”
Antonov’s remarks came after The Washington Post reported that he had received a copy of an official diplomatic note sent from Moscow to the United States.
According to the publication, the Kremlin warns in the note that US and NATO supplies of “the most sensitive” weapons systems to Ukraine “add fuel” to the conflict.
Further deliveries could lead to “unpredictable consequences”, the note said.
Newsweek contacted the Biden administration and the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment.
Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Washington has spent approximately $ 3.4 billion sending military aid to Kyiv.
Updated on 25.04.22, 3:00 ET: This article has been updated with additional basic information.
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