Should the Trump administration decide to send lethal weapons to Kiev, "this will be a lethal step for Ukraine and the United States," he noted. "The US and NATO understand that if an official decision on arms deliveries is made, then it will give a free hand to the other side to take similar steps. This could significantly alter the situation in south-eastern Ukraine in terms of the military balance."
Earlier this month, US Senator John McCain, a fierce critic of the Kremlin, called on Donald Trump to provide "defensive lethal assistance" to Ukraine so that Kiev could ostensibly defend its territories from Russian-backed independence supporters. The Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee also blamed Moscow for "destabilizing" Ukraine. In December, a group of 27 US senators urged Trump to ramp up political, economic and military support for Kiev.
So far Washington has refrained from providing lethal weapons to Kiev. Russia, Germany and those trying to promote the Minsk peace process have warned that lethal assistance to Kiev would only exacerbate tensions and fuel violence in Ukraine.
Defense analyst Igor Korotchenko, chief editor of the Russian magazine National Defense, echoed these sentiments, saying that such a step would "further destabilize the situation in the Donbass region, resulting in more casualties and leading to more bloodshed."
The analyst also pointed out that Washington would become directly involved in the Ukrainian civil war if it sends lethal aid to Kiev.
Moscow has repeatedly expressed concern over Kiev's actions in the Donbass region, saying that the Ukrainian authorities were derailing the Minsk agreements.
"The situation in southeastern Ukraine has deteriorated recently. The goal of this escalation is clear. It is aimed at disrupting the Minsk agreements. Ukrainian authorities are not ready to resolve this complex issue through peaceful means and have prioritized a military solution," President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
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