Key Points and Summary – Vladimir Putin warned that U.S. provision of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would “destroy” U.S.–Russia relations and mark a “new stage of escalation,” asserting Kyiv couldn’t use such weapons without U.S. personnel.
-The threat follows his Alaska meeting with President Trump and comes amid continued Russian offensives, NATO complaints about drone incursions, and U.S. deliberations over enabling long-range Ukrainian strikes.
-Vice President J.D. Vance says Tomahawks are under review; reports suggest Washington is already sharing targeting intelligence.
-Putin claims Russia would shoot the missiles down, but his warning highlights worsening ties as NATO backs Ukraine’s self-defense and the Kremlin decries Western encroachment.
Putin Warns: U.S. Tomahawks for Ukraine Would “Destroy” U.S.–Russia Ties
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any U.S. move to supply Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles would “destroy” relations between Moscow and Washington, marking yet another perilous turn in a war that continues to redraw global fault lines.
Speaking in a televised address released Sunday by state journalist Pavel Zarubin, Putin declared that transferring the powerful missiles.
The weapons are able to strike targets over 2,500 kilometres away, which Moscow argues would trigger “a completely new stage of escalation.”
Putin also argued that it would be “impossible” for Ukraine to use such weapons without American military personnel being directly involved.
His fresh complaints arose under two months since his high-profile meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska for what had been touted as a small step toward peace.
Since then, Putin’s forces have simply continued doggedly pressing on into Ukrainian territory.
NATO members, including Poland, Denmark, Sweden, and Romania, have also reported numerous airspace incursions by Russian drones, while Washington continues to float the idea of offering Kyiv long-range strikes inside Russia.
Last month, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance confirmed that the administration was considering Ukraine’s request for Tomahawks capable of hitting targets even in Moscow.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Washington has already begun supplying Kyiv with intelligence on potential energy infrastructure targets inside Russia. While the Pentagon has not confirmed whether a final decision on missile transfers has been made, officials cited by Reuters said limited U.S. inventories could constrain such a move.
Putin dismissed the notion that Tomahawk strikes would shift the balance of power, boasting that Russia would “simply shoot them down” and use the opportunity to refine its air defences.
Still, the threat underscores his strategy of raising the stakes whenever Western powers debate new forms of aid to Kyiv.
For Washington, the dilemma is acute. Trump has publicly branded Putin’s administration a “paper tiger” for failing to subdue Ukraine, a sharp break from his earlier rhetoric.
Still, the U.S. arming Kyiv with its own cruise missiles shows that Washington is not afraid of confronting Russia- and its nuclear power.
NATO leaders continue to frame Ukraine’s fight as one of self-defense against Russian expansionism, while the Kremlin maintains it is defending itself against the West’s encroachment in Ukraine since the collapse of Communism.
Almost three years into the conflict, there seems to be no prospect of a peace deal in sight.
The latest exchange of barbs between Trump and Putin suggests that, even if this conflict does not lead to all-out war between the U.S. and Russia, it is certainly plunging their relations into further chaos.
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and The Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education. You can follow her on X: @llggeorgia.
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