Kremlin: Western Arms Deliveries to Ukraine Will Hamper Moscow-Kiev Talks

The US and its allies in NATO have been regularly supplying weapons to Ukraine since before the start of Russia's special operation, despite Moscow repeatedly warning that this would result in more casualties.

The West's continued delivery of weapons to Ukraine will hamper negotiations between Moscow and Kiev, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"Pumping Ukraine with weapons in various formats does not contribute to success in Russian-Ukrainian negotiations. And, of course, this will more likely have a negative effect," Peskov told reporters when asked how the Kremlin views the senate’s decision.

Earlier this week, US Senate passed a bipartisan legislation that authorises President Joe Biden to reach lend-lease agreements with Ukraine. According to the document's summary, the bill "temporarily waives certain requirements related to the President's authority to lend or lease defence articles if the defence articles are intended for Ukraine's government and necessary to protect civilians in Ukraine from Russian military invasion".

Commenting on the US lend-lease for Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that there was no doubt that the US and its NATO allies had long been preparing to supply weapons to Ukraine.

Earlier this week, The Times reported, citing government sources, that Britain is considering sending non-lethal armoured vehicles to Ukraine amid a belief that the Russian army has been "exhausted", now that its special military operation has entered its 43rd day.

Russia started its special operation in Ukraine on 24 February following calls from the country's breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk to protect their civilian population amid intensified shelling by Kiev's forces. According to President Vladimir Putin, the operation is also aimed at "demilitarising and de-Nazifying Ukraine".