MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/. The U.S. Administration’s decision to supply advanced defensive systems to Ukraine, which was announced on Friday, has an obvious political implication and is a step towards war, head of the Federation Council (parliament’s upper house) foreign affairs’ committee Konstantin Kosachev said in a comment he posted on Facebook on Saturday.
"False (or rather perverted) interpretation of the situation in (Ukraine’s) south-east holds hostage of Kiev’s and Washington’s Russophobic ambitions the millions of people, expecting from politicians peace, not war. Washington’s recent decision, alas, once again is in favor of war, not peace," the senator said.
According to him, Washington's decision "has an obvious, blatant, and even articulated political implication."
"This story, despite the term "defensive," used in Washington’s relevant decision, has a very indirect connection with Ukraine’s defense: nobody is going to attack Ukraine," he added.
On Friday, the Department of State spokesperson Heather Nauert said the U.S. Administration has taken a decision to supply advanced defensive systems to Ukraine as part of Washington’s efforts to build up the long-term defense capability of the Ukrainian government.
"The United States has decided to provide Ukraine enhanced defensive capabilities as part of our effort to help Ukraine build its long-term defense capacity, to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to deter further aggression," Nauert said.
"U.S. assistance is entirely defensive in nature, and as we have always said, Ukraine is a sovereign country and has a right to defend itself," she claimed. "The United States remains committed to the Minsk agreements as the way forward in eastern Ukraine."
ABC News said previously President Trump was expected to endorse a plan envisioning supplies of antitank equipment worth $ 47 million to the Ukrainian authorities. The list of weapons to be consigned to Ukraine might include the Javelin antitank complexes. If Trump approves the plan, it will then be submitted to Congress that will have thirty days to review it.
U.S. Congressmen and Senators, republicans and democrats likewise, have persistently voted in recent years for inclusion of articles on lethal military aid to Ukraine in the U.S. defense budgets.