MOSCOW, December 21. /TASS/. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov issued a warning on Wednesday against American deliveries of weapons to the Zelensky regime, saying that it would trigger an escalation of the conflict.

"[Washington’s] arms deliveries are still underway and the range of weapons is broadening. This certainly leads to an escalation of the conflict and does not bode well for Ukraine," Peskov said, speaking to the press.

Peskov also noted that there was no hope that Kiev’s negotiating stance would change somehow after the Ukrainian president’s visit to the United States.

Axios reported on Tuesday, citing sources, that Zelensky would address a joint session of the US Congress during his visit to Washington on December 21. He is expected to thank US lawmakers for providing billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine and ask them to increase funding for Kiev.

The media outlet noted that it would be Zelensky’s first visit to the US after the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine. In addition, CNN reported that the Ukrainian leader would also hold a meeting with US President Joe Biden to discuss assistance to Kiev.

Russia’s special military operation

On February 21, President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow was recognizing the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Russia signed agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with their leaders. Moscow recognized the Donbass republics in accordance with the DPR and LPR constitutions within the boundaries of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions as of the beginning of 2014.

Russian President Putin announced on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics for assistance, he had decided to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine. The DPR and the LPR launched an operation to liberate their territories under Kiev’s control.

From September 23 to September 27, the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic as well as the Kherson Region and the Zaporozhye Region held a referendum where the majority of voters opted to join Russia.

On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of the DPR, the LPR, and the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions signed treaties on their accession to Russia. Later, the State Duma and the Federation Council (the lower and upper houses of Russia’s parliament) approved legislation on ratifying these treaties, as well as federal constitutional laws on the accession of the four regions to Russia.