'US military aid to Ukraine potentially very dangerous'

MOSCOW: The Kremlin said that US' plans to provide military assistance to Ukraine could prompt Kiev to opt for a coercive settlement of the country's crisis.

"We believe that this could potentially be the cause of Ukraine's unpredictable actions in the form of attempts to forcefully resolve the internal conflict in southeast Ukraine. This is very dangerous," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a daily briefing on Thursday.

He said that Russia strongly opposes "Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations" that have been supported by the US side.

The spokesman recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly spoken out against the NATO's expansion and military build-up close to Russian borders.

Peskov said that it was unfortunate that the US-Ukraine relationship is primarily marked by a hard stance against Russia.

"They are friends not for themselves, but against Russia. This can also cause only regret," he added. The US and Ukraine have signed a Strategic Defence Framework agreement, which is set to define a new stage of bilateral cooperation in the field of defence and security.

The deal inked on Wednesday during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington creates conditions for a significant strengthening of bilateral cooperation in defence and provides international legal support from the US for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Kiev. (IANS)

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