WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st January, 2022) The Biden administration approved a request from Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia to send American-made lethal weapons to Ukraine in order to boost its military capabilities against Russia, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
The report said, citing US officials, that Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia will send Javelin anti-tank weapons and Stinger air-defense systems to Ukraine after receiving a green light from the United States.
The State Department must approve export control regulations before allies can transfer US military equipment.
The United States will also provide Kiev with five Russian-made Mi-17 transport helicopters that were originally intended to be for the Afghan armed forces prior to the government's collapse and were being repaired in Ukraine.
President Joe Biden in late December approved an additional $200 million in security assistance to Ukraine, which will include more Javelins, the report said citing US officials.
The State Department did not respond immediately to Sputnik for a request for comment on the matter.
Western countries and Kiev have recently expressed concerns about the alleged "aggressive actions" of Russia near the border with Ukraine. Kiev accuses Moscow of military build-up and preparations for an invasion of the neighboring country. However, Russia denies the allegations and reiterates that it has no intention of attacking any country. Moreover, Moscow views the accusations as a pretext for deploying more NATO military equipment close to Russian borders.
