[Epoch Times, April 16, 2022](The Epoch Times reporter Li Yan comprehensive report) US State Department spokesman Ned Price (Ned Price) said on Friday (April 15) that the United States will continue to provide Ukraine with arms. A day earlier, Russia reportedly warned of “consequences” of military aid to Ukraine and issued a diplomatic note to the United States and Europe.
Price told CNN that “there is nothing to dissuade” the U.S. government from sending arms to Ukraine. Earlier, Russia reportedly sent a diplomatic cable to Washington warning of “unpredictable consequences” if it continued to send the weapons to Ukraine.
“There’s nothing to dissuade us from the strategy we’ve started,” Price told CNN’s Kate Bolduan. He added that if the Kremlin was concerned about a Biden administration “providing billions of dollars worth of security assistance to our Ukrainian partners … yes, that’s what we did”.
“We call on the United States and its allies to stop the irresponsible militarization of Ukraine, which will have implications for regional and international security,” The Washington Post reported earlier on Friday, citing a Russian diplomatic note to the United States. unpredictable consequences.”
The official letter, disclosed by The Washington Post, also said the U.S. ignored rules on arms transfers to conflict zones.
A Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman confirmed that Russia had sent diplomatic notes to the U.S. and other countries about arms supplies to Ukraine, without elaborating, Interfax news agency reported.
The U.S. State Department declined to confirm the authenticity of the diplomatic note.
A spokesman said, however, that the United States, along with allies and partners, “is delivering billions of dollars worth of security assistance to Ukraine, which our Ukrainian partners are using to defend them with extraordinary effect. countries against Russia’s unprovoked aggression and horrific acts of violence.”
The United States has provided Ukraine with more than $2.5 billion in weapons and other military aid since Russia launched its offensive in February. Thousands of anti-tank missiles and a trove of munitions were initially sent to the war-torn country, and more recently Washington has provided more heavy weapons.
President Biden this week announced an additional $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, including for the first time some advanced munitions requested by Ukraine.
The latest round of U.S. security assistance includes weapons and other supplies Washington has already provided to Kyiv, as well as new weapons and equipment not previously provided.
According to the Pentagon, the aid package includes 11 Mi-17 helicopters, 300 Switchblade drones, 200 M113 armored personnel carriers, 18 howitzers and 40,000 rounds of shells, 10 counter-artillery radars, 500 Javelin missiles, unmanned coastal defense ships and protective equipment in the event of a chemical or biological attack.
Two people familiar with the situation previously told Bloomberg that the Pentagon plans to order and send Ukraine the latest model of the Switchblade drone. The drone is equipped with a warhead capable of destroying tanks.
Some senior lawmakers, including Ken Calvert, the top Republican on the House defense appropriations subcommittee, have repeatedly asked the Pentagon to provide Ukraine with an anti-armor version of the drone.
Russia also accused NATO of hindering early peace talks with Ukraine, according to the letter, dated Tuesday.
Responsible editor: Lin Yan#