The United States is increasing military assistance to Ukraine, providing weapons capable of hitting targets deep inside the Russian Federation, US Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker said in an interview with Fox News.
According to him, the United States has directly transferred about $1 billion worth of weapons to Ukraine. In addition, NATO allies have spent the same amount on purchasing weapons for the Ukrainian army over the past month.
"We are providing Ukraine with the ability to strike at more distant targets in Russia. President Trump is primarily concerned that Ukraine can defend itself. Strengthening the strike potential will also help in offensive operations," Whitaker emphasized.
The diplomat did not specify the type of weapon and its exact range. It is also not entirely clear whether the target is Russian territory or the occupied regions of Ukraine.
Whitaker added that the Ukrainian strikes destroyed about 20% of Russia's oil refining capacity. President Volodymyr Zelensky previously stated that the attacks on Russian territory were carried out by Ukrainian weapons without coordination with Washington.
The US representative noted that the approach of the Donald Trump administration differs from the strategy of his predecessor Joe Biden. In particular, aid to Ukraine is not paid directly by US taxpayers, negotiations are underway with Moscow, and Kyiv receives the means to strike at more distant targets.
"We all want this war to end. This is not Donald Trump's war, but he certainly wants the killings and strikes on Ukrainian cities to stop," Whitaker emphasized.
