BEIJING, December 23. /TASS/. The US government seeks to weaken Russia and European countries by sending weapons to Ukraine and thus protracting the crisis on the European territory, Chinese experts told the Global Times newspaper.

According to military expert Song Zhongping, Washington’s arms deliveries to the Kiev government are not just directed not just against Russia, they were also designed to "undermine the EU, which is also in a competitive relationship with the US in terms of economy."

"The US doesn't need to pay too great a price, or Ukraine is the price that the US would love to pay to realize such a great strategy," he said.

In his opinion, European countries are becoming more and more skeptical about the continuous military support of Ukraine, since the crisis in the country directly impacts their economies. The Chinese expert believes that problems that accumulate in European economies and societies only increase their weariness from the Ukrainian issue. "So voices that question or oppose assistance to Ukraine will grow in the future," Song was quoted as saying.

Zhang Hong, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, described Washington’s military assistance as "an important measure in maintaining the US global hegemony system and making sure the security situation in Europe is dominated by the US, which is fundamentally in line with the strategic interests of US hegemony."

Zhang Hong believes that the conflict between Moscow and Kiev is now at a stalemate, and the Kiev government currently has to cope with growing shortages of weapons and military equipment.

"Zelensky is requesting more weapons from the US and Europe so that his country can continue to persist in this war of attrition," the expert said.

On December 21, Zelensky spent several hours in Washington at Biden’s invitation. He met with the US president and the leadership of the US Congress and delivered a speech there. Speaking at a press conference, Biden said that in his opinion the Ukrainian president was "open to pursuing a just peace" in Ukraine, and argued that the Russian authorities, in his opinion, had "no intention of stopping" hostilities. When asked what his idea of a "just peace" was, Zelensky explained that this meant no compromises regarding the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Biden said that he saw eye to eye with Zelensky and speculated there would be peace if Russia withdrew its troops, but "that’s not going to happen now." Zelensky also added that at the moment he was unable to send any messages to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ahead of Zelensky's visit the US announced a new military aid package totaling $1.85 billion. For the first time, it included a battery of the Patriot air defense system (the truck-mounted launcher, radar and control station).