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Russian diplomat warns US arms deliveries to Ukraine may turn into new tragedies

Earlier, US senator urged President Donald Trump to send defensive armaments to Ukraine

MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. The deliveries of armaments from the United States to Ukraine may turn into new tragedies, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Tuesday.

"The US Congress demands that the deliveries of the so-called lethal weapons [to Ukraine] be started. That is why, it is important that the US White House and the Department of State should realize that this may turn into new tragedies and should feel their responsibility," Ryabkov said at a roundtable discussion in the lower house of Russia’s parliament on Russian-US relations. "We’re trying to help adequately understand what has happened and is happening in Ukraine, including in Donbass," he added.

"We’re trying to help adequately understand what was taking place and is taking place in Ukraine, including in Donbass," he added.

"We’ll be explaining to the new administration the history and the current state of the internal conflict in Ukraine," the diplomat said.

Chairman of the US Senate Committee on Armed Services John McCain and Chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services Republican Mac Thornberry earlier urged US President Donald Trump to send defensive armaments to Ukraine.

Thornberry stressed that the idea of providing defensive armaments to Ukrainians enjoyed wide support both in the US Republican and Democratic Parties.

The current Act on the activity and the financing of the US Department of Defense for fiscal year 2017 allows the head of the Pentagon to provide defensive lethal force weapons to the Ukrainian army. Most frequently, anti-tank weapons are mentioned among these armaments. A total of $350 million has been set aside for these purposes.