07:42 03-10-2025

Putin: Tomahawks for Ukraine Would Mark New Stage of Escalation

Vladimir Putin said supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would escalate the conflict and harm Russia–U.S. relations, stressing they require U.S. specialists to operate.

At a session of the Valdai International Discussion Club, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the potential transfer of American Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. He stated that if Washington decides to hand over these weapons, the conflict would move into a qualitatively new stage of escalation.

Putin stressed that such a decision would also deal a heavy blow to relations between Moscow and Washington, which, as he noted, had recently shown «a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.» He underlined that the deployment of Tomahawks by Ukraine would not be possible without the direct involvement of U.S. military specialists. According to him, the missiles could not be operated independently by Ukrainian forces.

The Russian leader’s remarks came against the backdrop of recent talks in New York, where Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky asked U. S. President Donald Trump to increase pressure on Moscow, provide Kyiv with Tomahawk cruise missiles, and lift restrictions on using long-range American weapons for strikes deep inside Russian territory. Trump did not object during the meeting, but has not yet made a final decision on supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine.

Putin’s warning reflected Moscow’s view that the transfer of such weapons would not only mark a new phase in the Ukrainian conflict, but would fundamentally alter the balance in U.S.-Russian relations, pushing both countries toward an even sharper confrontation.