US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll has urged European diplomats to quickly resolve the war in Ukraine, saying russia is building up long-range missiles.
The New York Times announced this, citing two Western officials, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
Driscoll told Western diplomats who gathered in Kyiv last week that while Moscow had been launching missiles at Ukraine for years almost as fast as it could produce them, russia is now producing enough of them to form a reserve.
"The implication is clear: a resolution is needed as soon as possible because of the growing missile threat that could strike Ukraine and spread beyond its borders," the publication's sources report.
The United States has warned allies that, despite a possible end to the war in Ukraine, russia is unlikely to reduce its weapons production.
This stance has raised concerns among allies.
While an end to the conflict would remove the Kremlin's ability to justify potential missile or drone strikes on other European states, the intensive production of weapons is itself seen as a continuing threat.
The U.S. assessment of russia's missile stockpiling indicates significant changes and strengthening of the russian military-industrial complex.
The data, which shows Moscow's ability to produce long-range weapons in quantities sufficient to create a reserve, is supported by information from Ukrainian military sources and calculations by independent analysts.
It is noted that Moscow could use these stocks for further strikes on Ukraine's damaged energy infrastructure, as well as to deplete Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile stocks.
This could make major cities, including Kyiv, more vulnerable.
Experts also warn that russia may resort to missile or drone attacks as a tool to pressure other European countries.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the White House fears that the Kremlin will reject the updated peace plan.
Ukraine has "agreed to a peace deal" initiated by the administration of US President Donald Trump and is waiting for the agreement of "minor details."
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Driscoll that Kyiv is ready to cooperate with Washington in implementing its new plan to end the war.
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