Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for the reintegration of territories outside this nation’s control, Alexei Resnikov, considered it necessary to expand the defense package for his country.

To this end, the installation of US anti-aircraft defense assets should be sought, even if it means the arrival of additional US ground forces, Resnikov considered.

In addition to speculating about an alleged Russian intention to place nuclear weapons in Crimea, which returned to Russian jurisdiction in March 2014, the official advocated applying more sanctions against Moscow to prevent the completion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

The pipeline, built by Russia, together with a conglomerate of more than a dozen foreign companies, would carry gas from Russia to Germany, through the Baltic Sea. The project is 99 percent complete, according to experts.

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