MOSCOW. June 14 (Interfax) - The United States is forcing its European partners to increase the supply of arms to Ukraine, thus weakening their military potential and decreasing their capacity for national defense, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Now, [the Europeans] are forced to increase arms supply to Kiev and their capacity to make artillery rounds. I wonder who will need those rounds after the conflict in Ukraine ends. How can it help provide military security for Europe?" Putin said at a meeting at the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday.
"The United States is investing in military technologies. By the way, these are advanced technologies, outer space, modern drones and attack systems based on new physical principles, i.e. the systems to shape the future of hostilities and therefore, the military and political potential of states and their position in the world," he said.
"Whereas they [European states] are given the following role: invest your money where we need it. This does not raise the Europeans' potential in anyway. It may be good for us, but this is what's really happening," Putin said.