Russia signals resolve on key NATO demand as U.S. shores up Ukraine

Medvedev warned that Russia also wants guarantees that the United States or other countries would never send offensive weapons to Ukraine. “Ukraine, unfortunately, has now turned … into a toy in the hands of NATO and, above all, in the hands of the United States … [and is] used as an instrument of geopolitical pressure on Russia,” he said, adding that President Vladimir Putin would decide on Russian action.