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Weapons supplies to Kiev due to get US mired in Ukraine’s domestic conflict - speaker

I feel that decision is a gross mistake of the United States, Speaker of Russia’s Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko said

MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/. Washington’s decision to supply lethal weapons to Kiev will get Washington involved in Ukraine’s domestic conflict and will block attempts to solve it, Speaker of Russia’s Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Valentina Matviyenko told TASS on Saturday.

"I feel that this [decision] is a gross mistake of the United States. This way, it is getting mired in the intra-Ukrainian conflict, with all that it entails," Matviyenko said.

"In addition, these decisions can derail attempts to find a peace solution to Ukraine’s difficult internal crisis," she said.

On Friday, the Department of State spokesperson Heather Nauert said the U.S. Administration had 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.

ABC News said previously US President Donald 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 be submitted then to Congress, which 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.

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