Russia summons US ambassador to Moscow to protest ‘expanding’ involvement in Ukraine

Russia has summoned United States Ambassador Lynne Tracy to Moscow to protest what it sees as “expanding” American involvement in the war with Ukraine. 

Russia’s Foreign Ministry says it expressed its displeasure to the ambassador at the Biden administration’s “current aggressive course” to provide weapons to Ukraine and argued that the contributions “clearly prove the inconsistency and falsity” of U.S. claims that it’s not a party to the conflict. 

The ambassador was reportedly urged that Washington should withdraw U.S. and NATO alliance equipment given to Kyiv.

This message of protest comes a day after President Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv, his first since the war began and just ahead of the fighting’s one-year anniversary at the end of this week. 

Biden met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and announced half a billion dollars of additional aid to Ukraine, including military equipment. 

More details on the latest aid package are set to be released in coming days. The U.S. recently moved to equip Ukraine with battle tanks and now faces calls to send a supply of F-16 fighter jets. 

The Kremlin saw the battle tanks as “direct involvement” in the war, but Biden said that the move is “not an offensive threat” to Russia and stressed the U.S. desire for peace.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Sunday the U.S. will support Ukraine in its war against Russia for “as long as it takes.”