The Kremlin on Wednesday accused Washington of "adding fuel to the fire" by planning to supply Ukraine with advanced missile systems.

"We believe that the United States is adding fuel to the fire deliberately and on purpose," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"Such supplies" do not encourage Kyiv to resume peace talks, Peskov said, adding that Washington wanted to "fight Russia to the last Ukrainian."

On Tuesday, Washington said it would be supplying Ukraine with advanced missile systems, including the Himars multiple-launch rocket system that can simultaneously launch multiple precision-guided missiles.

Earlier Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the planned delivery of these new US weapons to Ukraine increased the risk of drawing the United States into direct conflict with Russia.

"Any arms supplies that continue, are on the rise, increase the risks of such a development," Ryabkov was quoted as saying by state news agency RIA Novosti.

Both Ukraine and Russia already operate multiple-launch rockets systems, but the Himars has superior range and precision.

The Himars system that Washington is providing to Ukraine will have a range of about 80 kilometres (50 miles).

Ryabkov said the US was determined to "wage war (on Moscow) to the last Ukrainian in order to inflict, as they say, a strategic defeat on Russia".

"This is unprecedented, this is dangerous," he said.

Germany to deliver air defence system to Ukraine: Scholz
Berlin (AFP) June 1, 2022 - Germany will deliver to Ukraine an air defence system capable of shielding a "large city from Russian air raids", Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday, rejecting accusations that his government was slow to arm Kyiv.

Berlin will be "sending more weapons" to Ukraine, Scholz told parliament.

"The government has decided that we will send the Iris-T system -- the most modern system that Germany currently possesses," he said.

The system would "enable Ukraine to protect an entire major city from Russian airstrikes."

Germany will also deliver a tracking radar system capable of detecting enemy rocket artillery, he said.

Under heavy pressure over the last weeks, Scholz's government has agreed to send heavy weapons including self-propelled howitzers and Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

On Tuesday, Scholz said in Brussels he had agreed a deal with Greece for Athens to send Soviet-era military vehicles to Ukraine in exchange for more modern armour from Berlin.

Germany has already struck a similar agreement with the Czech Republic to help supply weaponry to Ukraine and is currently negotiating one with Poland.

The goal is to supply Ukraine with vitally needed weapons from old Soviet-era stocks that it can quickly put into battle as it tries to halt Russia's invasion.

Germany wants to deliver 14 Leopard battle tanks and one Leopard armoured vehicle to Prague in exchange for the Czechs sending T-72 tanks to Ukraine.

No date has yet been set for the delivery, however, and Scholz told parliament that talks were ongoing.

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Danes begin voting on joining EU's common defence policy
Copenhagen (AFP) June 1, 2022
Traditionally eurosceptic Denmark began voting Wednesday in a referendum on whether to overturn its opt-out on the EU's common defence policy after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The vote comes on the heels of neighbouring Finland's and Sweden's historic applications for NATO membership, as the Ukraine war forces countries in Europe to rethink their security policies. More than 65 percent of Denmark's 4.3 million eligible voters are expected to vote in favour of dropping the exemption, an opinion ... read more