US trying to accelerate new military aid deliveries to Ukraine: Pentagon

The United States is trying to speed up its deliveries of the $200 million worth of security assistance approved for Ukraine in December, Defense Department spokesperson John Kirby said on Thursday.

"We are just at the beginning of a whole new package of assistance material," Kirby said during a press briefing. "There's been three shipments, there are more that will be coming, we're trying to see if we can accelerate them." Kirby declined to reveal what is in every shipment but said it includes lethal and non-lethal assistance designed to help Ukraine defend itself.

Ukraine received the first shipments of the US security aid earlier this week, which included Javelin anti-tank missiles.

The increase in military assistance to Kiev comes amid increased tensions over Ukraine and claims by the United States and its European allies that Russia is planning to invade Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly dismissed the West's claims, saying it has no plans to attack any country.

In addition, Russia has warned that NATO's actions near its borders represent a national security threat and it reserves the right to move troops within its own sovereign territory.