Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says the US is 'directly at war' with Moscow as the White House continues to pledge weapons to Ukraine
Sep 24, 2023, 10:18 IST
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Saturday the US is "directly at war" with Moscow.
- His statement comes after the White House pledged $600 million in additional aid to Ukraine.
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According to Russian officials, the United States' continued support of Ukraine puts the country "directly at war" with Moscow.
"You can call this whatever you want to call this, but they are directly at war with us. We can call this a hybrid war, but that doesn't change the reality," CNN reported Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Saturday after being asked by a journalist when the US will be considered to be directly involved in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, as opposed to engaging in a proxy war.He added: "They are effectively engaged in hostilities with us, using the Ukrainians as fodder."Representatives for the United States Department of Defense, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, and the Government of the Russian Federation did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider.The US has pledged over $100 billion in aid packages to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion began last year, including more than $43.8 billion in security packages including equipment such as howitzers and artillery, Stinger antiaircraft systems, and Abrams tanks.Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced an additional $600 million aid package to be sent to Ukraine's front lines, including a resupply of HIMARS ammunition and, for the first time, depleted uranium tank rounds, Insider previously reported.
While the US's continued support for Ukraine has faced political backlash, mainly from Republican members of Congress, the White House redoubled its efforts to support Ukraine earlier this month by ordering increased production for crucial artillery as Ukrainian troops struggle to keep up with Russia's war machine.In addition to the extensive aid packages, the US has implemented sanctions against nearly 100 Russian elites, as well as the country's industrial base, financial institutions, and technology suppliers. The sanctions have reshaped Russia's economic ties with the world and sent the ruble's value plummeting.