The possible delivery of U.S. lethal weapons to Ukraine cannot drastically change the Donbas situation but may increase casualties and trigger the use of military force in other territories, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a press conference on Tuesday, after the BRICS summit in Xiamen.

"This [the supply of lethal weapons to Ukraine] is a sovereign right of the United States, which can choose whom it will sell weapons or to give them free of charge, and the country receiving such assistance. We cannot have any influence on this process. However, there are international rules and standards: the delivery of weapons to a conflict zone does not help bring peace but only exacerbates the situation," Putin said.