The Pentagon is “watching” Russia to increase its occupation of Eastern Europe.

The president recently approved a further $ 125 million in death assistance to Ukraine to protect its border with Russia, including two armed patrol boats and anti-artillery radar. The United States has pledged more than $ 2 billion in defense assistance to Ukraine since 2014, including the supply of anti-tank javelin missiles. When the Obama administration sent military equipment to Ukraine, deadly aid did not reach the Trump administration.

Biden has a long history of securing aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded Crimea in 2014. As vice president and ambassador to the Obama administration in Kiev, Biden visited the country six times and spent hours on the phone with his leaders.

He also spearheaded efforts to send U.S. troops to train Ukrainian militants and urged senior officials to eradicate corruption, his advisers told Politico in an interview last year.

The Pentagon’s response: Pentagon leaders have expressed concern to NATO allies about renewed fighting in Eastern Europe, resulting in the killing of four Ukrainian soldiers on March 26 and the wounding of two, as well as the strengthening of Russian forces, spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday.

“Obviously, we do not want to see violations of the Ukrainian territory,” Kirby said. “We were very clear about the threats we see in the fields from Russia … we take them very seriously.”

Kirby said he was unaware of any links between Russian and US forces in Eastern Europe.

Gen. Mark Millie, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed the security situation separately with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts on Wednesday, his office said in a statement. On Wednesday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuliba said he had “discussed ways to strengthen security cooperation” with Foreign Minister Anthony Blingin.

“It was a useful and focused for me Embed a tweet Russia continues to deliberately worsen the security situation in eastern Ukraine and Crimea. “

Earlier this week, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan reaffirmed in a phone call with the Ukrainian representative its continued “continued support” for Ukrainian sovereignty and regional integration, Kirby said.