Pentagon Claims US Not Seeking Conflict With Russia, Focused on Providing Help to Ukraine

Ukrainian servicemen load a truck with the FGM-148 Javelin, American man-portable anti-tank missiles provided by US to Ukraine as part of a military support, upon its delivery at Kiev’s airport Borispol on February 11, 2022WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The United States is not at war with Russia and does not plan to involve in direct conflict, it just focuses on providing further security assistance to Ukraine, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said.

"The US is not at war with Russia, and we do not seek conflict. Our focus is on providing Ukraine with the security assistance it needs to defend itself," Ryder told a briefing on Thursday answering the question on US reaction to Russia's comments regarding reports on possible US exports of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine.

The official noted that the US would not allow “comments from Russia dictate security assistance that we provide to Ukraine.” At the same time, Ryder gave no further details regarding shipping of Patriot systems to Kiev, saying there were no new announcements to make.© AP Photo / Efrem LukatskyUkrainian soldiers move a U.S.-supplied M777 howitzer into position to fire at Russian positions in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region Saturday, June 18, 2022Ukrainian soldiers move a U.S.-supplied M777 howitzer into position to fire at Russian positions in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region Saturday, June 18, 2022On Tuesday, US media reported that the Biden administration is finalizing plans to provide Ukraine with the Patriot air defense systems amid a series of Russian strikes. The Russian embassy in the US said in a statement that the possible delivery of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine would be another provocative step by the Biden administration and can lead to “unpredictable consequences.”

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