U.S. not providing Ukraine with long-range rocket systems: Biden

WASHINGTON, May 30 (Xinhua) -- The United States will not provide Ukraine with long-range rocket systems capable of hitting targets inside Russia, President Joe Biden said Monday, despite pleas from Ukraine for the advanced weaponry.

"We are not going to send to Ukraine rocket systems that can strike into Russia," Biden said in response to a question from the media as he arrived at the White House from Delaware.

Reports emerged last week that the United States was preparing to send Ukraine advanced long-range rocket systems as Russia focused its military operation in the eastern part of Ukraine, but the U.S. Defense Department refused to confirm such a plan.

"We are still working through what the next package is going to look like," Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Friday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other top officials in the government have been requesting that the United States provide Multiple Launch Rocket Systems as well as High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems to their country to help it fight Russia.