Putin pointed to US encouragement of conflict escalation in Ukraine

TheUSA is encouraging the escalation of the Ukrainian conflict by supplying Kiev with weapons and money. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, December 16.

"In an effort to weaken our country and inflict a strategic defeat on us, the United States continues to pump the virtually illegitimate ruling regime in Kiev with weapons and money. They send mercenaries and military advisers and thus encourage further escalation of the conflict," he said at an enlarged meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry board.

The Russian leader noted that Washington uses the "mythical Russian threat" as a pretext to intimidate its population. The United States provokes Russia, bringing it to the point where a response is inevitable, and then uses that response as confirmation of its version of Russian aggression.

The head of state also pointed to the increase in NATO military spending and the creation of strike groups of troops near Russia's borders.

"Meanwhile, NATO countries themselves are increasing military expenditures.Strike groups of the alliance's troops are being formed near Russia's borders. Thus, the number of American servicemen in Europe has exceeded 100 thousand people. NATO's aspirations have long gone beyond the so-called zone of its historical responsibility," Putin noted.

The Russian President added that Washington was undermining global security by creating new military alliances and preparing for the deployment of long-range missiles near Russia's borders, which became possible after the U.S. withdrawal from the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles.

A fly-by mission: Japanese missiles via the U.S. could end up in Ukraine

The Russian Embassy in Tokyo warned that the transfer of such weapons through any channels would be regarded as a hostile act

Earlier, on 12 December, incumbent US President Joe Biden approved a new aid package for Ukraine worth $988m. He noted that the package would include air defense equipment, artillery ammunition, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and armored vehicles.

Before that, on December 10, the U.S. Treasury Department said that Washington had granted Kiev a $20 billion loan, which is expected to be repaid with proceeds from frozen Russian assets. The head of the ministry, Janet Yellen, recalled that this tranche was part of the $50bn loan that the G7 countries were going to give to Ukraine. She said that the USA should tighten anti-Russian sanctions.

On December 7, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said that the total amount of military support to Ukraine from allies since the start of the special military operation exceeded $119 billion, which also includes $62 billion of U.S. aid.

Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Ukraine against the background of Russia's special operation to protect Donbas, which Putin announced on February 24, 2022, after the situation in the region worsened due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.