Russian Foreign Ministry summons US envoy over involvement in Ukraine

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The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday announced that it summoned US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy over the growing involvement of the United States in the fighting on the side of Ukraine.

In a statement, the Ministry said "a demarche was made to the head of the US diplomatic mission summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on February 21 in connection with the expanding involvement of the United States in hostilities on the side of the Kiev regime."

Tracy was told that Washington should withdraw all of its military and equipment from the territory of Ukraine, the statement indicated.

"It was particularly noted that in order to de-escalate the situation, Washington should take steps involving the withdrawal of US and NATO military and equipment, as well as the cessation of hostile anti-Russian activities," it said.

The Russian Ministry warned that all weapons supplied to Kiev, as well as the personnel, including US citizens, are a legitimate goal for Russian strikes.

This comes just one day after US President Joe Biden visited Kiev for the first time since the break out of the war, where he met with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and vowed further arms.

The Pentagon announced Monday that the Biden administration was providing a new security package to Ukraine amounting to $460 million.

Moreover, the Pentagon said its latest package would include more ammunition for US-made equipment that already made it to Ukraine, as well as new equipment units.

Last week, Dafna Rand, the director of the Office of Foreign Assistance at the State Department, said the US expects to provide an additional $9.9 billion in budget support to Ukraine.

"The US has provided $13 billion in budget support to the Government of Ukraine, and working with Congress in the coming months, we plan on providing $9.9 billion," Rand told a press briefing.

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Elsewhere, the Russian Foreign Ministry considered that Washington should not interfere with the investigation into the blasts at the Nord Stream pipelines.

"Russia emphasized that the United States should give explanations about the explosions on the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines and not interfere with an impartial investigation to identify those responsible," the statement said.

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