MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. /TASS/. Supplies of weapons to Ukraine by the NATO bloc may be considered the participation in the conflict since the alliance receives no payments for it, which means the West becomes a companion in Kiev’s crimes, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview for the "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" program on Rossiya-1 TV channel aired on Sunday.

"They supply arms worth tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine. This is the participation in a way. Why? Because it is not simply military-technical cooperation, since they do not receive money for it," Putin noted when answering questions by journalist Pavel Zarubin, adding that "those arms are delivered unilaterally, which means in a way, at least indirect, but still the participation in the Kiev regime’s crimes".

"Our position relies on that. And I think it is quite clear and reasoned," he stressed.