US Reportedly Plans Javelin Missile Delivery to Ukraine, Reneges on Surface-to-Air Missiles

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Biden administration is considering providing Ukraine with additional anti-tank weapons such as Javelin missiles, but has reneged on providing surface-to-air missiles like Stinger missiles in order not to provoke Russia, CNN reported on Friday.

Over the past several weeks, Ukraine and some Western countries have expressed concern about the alleged increase in what they characterise as "aggressive actions" by Russia on their border. However, Russia has refuted the accusations by saying it is moving troops within its own territory and at its own discretion.

Ukraine is planning to use its new military patrol boats, supplied by the United States, to boost defence missions in the Black Sea, the report said citing anonymous sources in the Biden administration.

Earlier on Friday, Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev told Russian news agencies that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed during a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba that there is no alternative to participating in the Minsk process.

Russia has repeatedly said it stands by its right to move armed forces freely within its territory. The Kremlin has also expressed concerns about Ukraine having aggregated almost half of all its armed forces on the contact line with the Donbass region in the east of the country.