Russia can mitigate sanctions, Kremlin says

The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is capable of taking measures to mitigate economic damage to his country amid the latest rounds of sanctions announced by the United States and Europe and Western countries stepped up military help to Ukraine.

In addition to the sanctions on Russia's financial sector, agreed on by the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom on Saturday, Britain's foreign minister, Liz Truss, said on Sunday that she would press for further measures against Russia, particularly by cutting off its oil and gas supplies, at a meeting with her counterparts in the G7 group of rich nations.

"Immediate measures are certainly being taken in order to mitigate the damage from sanctions and ensure the unhindered operation of all economic sectors and systems," TASS news agency quoted Peskov as saying.

Russia "has every possibility and potential to do that", he said.

"It was created in advance for such situations. Analysis will be required to determine the retaliatory measures that would best serve our interests."

The Kremlin response came as some Western countries stepped up military help to Ukraine.

On Friday US President Joe Biden instructed the State Department to release up to an additional $350 million worth of arms from US stockpiles to Ukraine.

He directed that $350 million allocated through the Foreign Assistance Act be designated for Ukraine's defense, according to his memorandum to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

On Saturday Blinken described the third authorization for weapons shipments to Ukraine as unprecedented.

"This package will include further lethal defensive assistance to help Ukraine address the armored, airborne and other threats it is now facing."

On Saturday the German government reversed a policy in place since World War II of not sending arms to conflict zones.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his country will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger missiles to Ukraine. Germany also lifted its ban on other countries to export German-origin weapons, including authorizing the Netherlands to send 400 rocket-propelled grenade launchers to Ukraine and allowing Estonia to send old German howitzers to Ukraine.

Before the latest decision, Germany had committed to sending 5,000 helmets and a field hospital to Ukraine.

For weeks Germany had said its "historical responsibility" prevented it from sending arms to conflict zones and had earlier blocked other NATO allies from sending German-origin weapons to Ukraine.

The about-face came weeks after criticism from other NATO and European Union member states.

It was now Germany's duty to help Ukraine, Scholz said. "That's why we're supplying 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger missiles to our friends in Ukraine."

A German government representative said the weapons will be delivered "as soon as possible".

The German policy reversal could mean more European military aid to Ukraine because many arms in EU member states are made at least in part in Germany.

Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced on Saturday that his government will support the Ukrainian military with 2,000 machine guns and 3,800 metric tons of fuel.

Belgium will also deploy 300 troops in Romania as part of the NATO efforts to beef up its eastern flank, De Croo said.

"Belgium assumes its responsibility within NATO Rapid Response of which elements were activated yesterday. In the current phase, 3,000 Belgian soldiers will be deployed in Romania."

The Dutch government told the parliament on Saturday that it will supply air defense rockets and antitank systems to Ukraine.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Saturday that the foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states were meeting virtually on Sunday evening to coordinate their assistance to Ukraine.

On Saturday Poland's President Andrzej Duda called for Ukraine to be granted an accelerated path to join the EU, following an appeal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the morning in which he said it was "a crucial moment to close the long-standing discussion once and for all and decide on Ukraine's membership".

Replying to Zelensky on his EU membership appeal, European Council President Charles Michel said: "Further concrete support is on its way."

Agencies contributed to this story.