US officials are considering arming the Ukrainian military with advanced anti-ship missiles, the Reuters news agency has reported.
Citing Biden administration officials, the report says the White House could offer Kyiv Boeing Harpoon and Naval Strike missiles with which to target the Russian Black Fleet, which is currently blockading Ukrainian ports.
UK defence officials have said that around 20 Russian Navy vessels, including submarines, are active in the region.
Officials are said to believe the arms could help force Russian ships away from Ukrainian territory and allow shipments of grain and other agricultural products to resume.
But the missiles, which cost around $1.5m (£1.2m) per round and have a range of 300km, are mainly sea based missiles, meaning Ukraine could face difficulty firing it from shore.
Source: BBC