Russia warns against possible U.S. arms supply to Kiev

Russia warned Tuesday that Washington's plans to supply Kiev with arms would further destabilize the situation in Ukraine.

"Russia is truly interested in solving the crisis. All other plans to increase sanctions, supply arms and so on, are aimed at destabilizing the situation in Ukraine," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov when he was commenting on a statement made by U.S. President Barack Obama.

Obama said at his joint press conference with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday in Washington that if Russia continues on its current position on Ukraine, its isolation will only worsen, both politically and economically and that the possibility of lethal defensive weapons is being examined.

Russian Security Council secretary Nikolai Patrushev echoed the remarks of Peskov by saying that the potential supply of weapons to Ukraine would result in escalation of the conflict there.

Russia will continue with its effort for the resolution of Ukraine crisis, Peskov said.

Meanwhile, the spokesman revealed that preparations for the Normandy Format meeting planned on Wednesday in the Belarusian capital of Minsk among leaders of Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine are still underway. He declined to give further details. Endi