WASHINGTON, March 29. /TASS/. The new US administration should study the possibility of supplying Ukraine with lethal weapons, the top American general in Europe told US lawmakers.

"I personally believe that we need to consider lethal defensive weapons for Ukraine," Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, commander of U.S. European Command and NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe, told the House Armed Services Committee.

The US military official claimed Russia was supplying the self-proclaimed republics in Eastern Ukraine with its newest military equoment with a purpose to test it.

He did not specify whether the European partners support the US initiative, saying that he did not raised the matter before most of them yet.

The previous US administration of Barack Obama supplied the Kiev government with military equipment, including flak jackets and night-vision goggles, but stopped short of sending lethal defensive weaponry to the country fearing possible escalation of tensions.

The current US President Donald Trump has made no public comments on the issue so far, but spoke on many occasions on the need to mend ties with Russia.