EU military assistance to Ukraine makes it party to conflict: Russia

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The EU's military training for Ukrainian forces and arms deliveries to Kyiv make the bloc a party to the conflict, a Russian government official said on Thursday.

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized the recent EU move to support military assistance to Ukraine.

"Almost €107 million ($104.6 million) are allocated for this venture. This step goes along with the supply of lethal weapons to the Kyiv regime, qualitatively increases the involvement of the European Union, making it, of course, a party to the conflict," she said.

The EU Council on Monday agreed to set up a military assistance mission to further support the Ukrainian armed forces.

According to EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the mission will start its work in November.

Zakharova also warned that NATO's military support to Ukraine brings the bloc closer "to the dangerous line of a direct military clash with Russia."

"NATO countries, as if competing with each other, continue to pump up the Kyiv regime with weapons and ammunition, supply it with intelligence, train soldiers of the Kyiv regime, and give guidance on the conduct of hostilities, thereby closing to the dangerous line of a direct military clash with Russia," she said.

Every month some $1 billion worth of Western weapons, supplied to Ukraine, turn up in the black markets, Zakharova claimed.

"The monthly contraband turnover of this very black market exceeds $1 billion. NATO military cargo destined for the Kyiv regime ends up in the hands of terrorists, extremists, and criminal groups in the Middle East, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia," she said.