OREANDA-NEWS. Western supplies of weapons to Ukraine will not contribute to the settlement of the conflict, but may encourage Kiev to provocate in the Donbass. This was announced to RIA Novosti by the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Andrei Rudenko.

The day before, the Times newspaper, citing a Ukrainian source, reported that Great Britain is negotiating with Ukraine on the sale of weapons, in particular, for the first time on the sale of missiles to this country. As part of the discussed agreements, Britain may supply Ukraine with surface-to-surface missiles and missiles for aircraft.

Also earlier, the Pentagon said that US President Joe Biden had approved a new $ 60 million military aid package for Ukraine, including the supply of Javelin portable anti-tank missile systems.

"We do not believe that military supplies to Ukraine will contribute to the settlement of the conflict in Donbass. We believe that this will kind of encourage the Ukrainian authorities to possible provocations against the self-proclaimed republics," Rudenko told RIA Novosti.

According to him, the settlement in Donbass should be carried out "not through the military, some ways of supporting Ukraine, but through the provision of enlightening pressure on it."

"In order for them to return to the implementation of the Minsk agreements," the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister summed up.