The US is about to send handheld anti-tank missiles to Ukraine.

(Baonghean.vn)Analysts suggest that the U.S. shipment of anti-tank missiles and other weapons to Ukraine could signal a new phase in Washington's strategy to bring the balance of power to the ground.,even if this move jeopardizes the implementation of the Minsk peace agreement.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Photo: AP

The Wall Street Journal reported on August 1st that the Pentagon and the U.S. State Department have agreed on a plan to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine, and this plan is currently awaiting White House approval. These weapons include Javelin anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft weapons, and other advanced weaponry.

Commenting on the latest development, former senior Israeli intelligence official Yakov Kedmi said that Russia will certainly retaliate against the US arms transfer to Ukraine, as this is likely an attempt to bring the balance of power into the conflict.

Kedmi stated: "If this happens, it will only mean one thing: that the United States has entered a new phase in transferring weapons to Ukraine. Russia will have to consider taking corresponding retaliatory measures."

The expert explained that US lawmakers apparently believe that supplying anti-tank missiles could give the Ukrainian military and its US allies the capability to counter the heavy armored vehicles used by separatist forces in Donetsk and Lugansk.

Mr. Kedmi also criticized Washington's decision as a very serious political mistake because of the consequences it could have. He warned: "From a political standpoint, this decision is completely wrong, because the U.S. could face a strong reaction in the future."

New US sanctions against Russia threaten the Minsk agreement. Photo: AP

According to him, this plan had previously been developed by the US government, but the final decision rested with President Donald Trump.

Another expert from the University of Illinois (USA), Professor Francis Boyle, who specializes in International Law, said that the consequences of transferring these weapons to Ukraine would be dire.

He emphasized: "Lethal weapons are still lethal weapons, whether you call them defensive or offensive. In the context of the current situation in Ukraine, making that distinction is meaningless."

Boyle also warned that this decision could derail efforts by President Trump and his Russian counterpart Putin to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine.

Boyle emphasized that the Minsk agreement remains crucial and irreplaceable, both legally and diplomatically, for restoring peace in Ukraine since the overthrow of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's government in a US-backed coup in February 2014.

Lan Ha

(According to Sputnik)