Joe Biden has approved £224million in military aid for Ukraine to strengthen air defences, a news report has claimed. The memo released by the White House comes as the US Defence Secretary warned that Russia is “expanding and modernising its nuclear arsenal”.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin claimed on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly suggested he could use nuclear weapons after facing setbacks in Ukraine.
Mr Austin’s remarks are in line with a recent Pentagon policy document on nuclear arms.
Russia has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world, with close to 6,000 warheads, according to experts.
He said: “Russia is also modernising and expanding its nuclear arsenal.
“And as the Kremlin continues its cruel and unprovoked war of choice against Ukraine, the whole world has seen Putin engage in deeply irresponsible nuclear saber-rattling.”
Russia and the United States together hold around 90 percent of the world’s nuclear warheads, enough to destroy the planet many times over.
The military aid announced by Mr Biden includes rockets for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers made by Lockheed Martin Corp (LMTN), 80,000 155mm artillery rounds, Humvee military vehicles and about 150 generators, according to the memo.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at the White House that the equipment was “on its way.”
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On September 30, he said the United States had created a precedent by dropping two atomic bombs on Japan in 1945.
Russian officials say the West has repeatedly misinterpreted Kremlin statements.