US 'adding fuel to fire' in Ukraine, says Russia

Russia slammed the United States on Wednesday for "adding fuel to the fire" in Ukraine as a result of Washington's announcement of a $700 million weapons package for Kyiv.

US President Joe Biden announced that his administration agreed to send Ukraine a small number of high-tech, medium range rocket systems, which the Ukrainian authorities have long asked for.

The new security assistance package, announced on Wednesday, also included air surveillance radars, additional Javelin anti-tank weapons, anti-armor weapons, artillery rounds, helicopters, tactical vehicles and spare parts to help the Ukrainians continue maintaining the equipment.

"We believe that the United States is purposefully and diligently adding fuel to the fire," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The Russia-Ukraine conflict started on Feb 24 and will mark its 100th day on Friday.

"Such supplies do not contribute to the Ukrainian leadership's willingness to resume peace negotiations," Peskov said.

In a statement on Wednesday, Biden said that the US would "keep providing Ukraine with more of the weapons that they are using so effectively to repel Russian attacks".

He said the new package would include "new capabilities and advanced weaponry", including High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems with battlefield munitions.

Senior US administration officials confirmed that the systems the US is sending Ukraine will be equipped with munitions that will allow Ukraine to launch rockets about 79 kilometers. That is far less than the systems' maximum range, but far greater than anything Ukraine has been sent to date.

Still, Biden sought to spell out clearly what the US' aims in Ukraine were and was careful to note that the US is not looking to directly engage with Russia.

Peskov said the Kremlin does not trust Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's claim that Kyiv would not use multiple launch rocket systems to attack Russian territory if they receive them from the US.

And there is still no clear-cut vision with regard to a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents, Peskov added.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Ukraine's push for more weapons is a "direct provocation intended to draw the West into the fighting". He warned that the multiple rocket launchers would raise the risk of an expanded conflict.

"Sane Western politicians understand those risks well," he said.

Meanwhile, British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Wednesday that the United Kingdom will send multiple-launch rocket systems to Ukraine.

Britain will send M270 launchers able to strike targets up to 80 kilometers away, offering "a significant boost in capability for the Ukrainian forces", according to a statement from the British Foreign Office.

The British government also said that Ukrainian troops will be trained on how to use the launchers in the UK, so the effectiveness of the launchers can be maximized.

Meanwhile, taking part in an International Children's Day event on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, "I am confident that in this complicated world, Russia will only bolster its strength, independence and sovereignty."

Agencies contributed to the story.