Washington, Jan 5 (IANS): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken admitted that the United States had "quietly sent a lot of weapons to Ukraine" five months ahead of the conflict.

"We saw it coming," Blinken said in an interview with The New York Times, noting the United States made sure that "Ukraine was prepared" by sending it billions of dollars and weapons since September 2021.

"What we've had to look at each and every time is not only should we give this to the Ukrainians but do they know how to use it? Can they maintain it?" he added.

When asked whether it is time to end the conflict, Blinken said a cease-fire would likely give Russia a break, and that any cease-fire must ensure Ukraine can "deter further aggression," which, he noted, could be achieved through NATO membership.

"Russia has been talking about this for many years," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Saturday in response to Blinken's remarks, noting that they underscored "the rationale behind Russia's objective on the demilitarisation of Ukraine."

"We voiced concerns over the United States and Britain pouring arms into Ukraine, the endless NATO exercises in the Black Sea that violate Russian borders, and the dangerous proximity of Western military aircraft to civilian airliners in our airspace," she added.

The Kremlin has repeatedly criticised Western arms shipments to Ukraine, claiming they escalate the conflict, obstruct peace efforts, and drag NATO members into direct involvement, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the US Department of State, as of Monday, the United States has provided Ukraine with $61.4 billion in military assistance since the conflict. And it has "approved" its NATO allies to deliver 12,000 anti-armour systems of all types, over 1,550 anti-air missiles, radars, night vision devices, machine guns, rifles and ammunition, and body armour.