Won't change situation: Putin comments on Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine
Illustrative photo: Tomahawk long-range cruise missile (US Navy)
American Tomahawk cruise missiles, which Ukraine may receive, are powerful and serious weapons, but they "won’t change the situation on the battlefield", said Russian President Vladimir Putin during his speech at the Valdai Club.
Commenting on the potential delivery of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, Putin called them "not modern, but powerful weapons." He added that supplying Tomahawks "won’t change the situation on the battlefield".
At the same time, Putin said that the use of Tomahawks by Ukraine could cause significant damage to Russia. He claimed, however, that Russian air defenses would be capable of intercepting them.
"Can Tomahawks cause us damage? Yes, they can. But we will shoot them down and continue improving our air defense systems," he said.
Putin also claimed that supplying Ukraine with Tomahawks and their use against Russia would represent "a completely new stage of escalation" with the United States and harm Moscow-Washington relations.
"Will this strike our relations with the US, where there was a light at the end of the tunnel? Of course. Using Tomahawks without direct involvement of American personnel is impossible," Putin said.
Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine
For several days, media reports have circulated that Ukraine could receive Tomahawk missiles. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has submitted requests to the US regarding weapons, but he did not confirm the rumors about Tomahawks.
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance fueled speculation. Speaking to the media, he confirmed that Washington is discussing the potential delivery of such missiles to Ukraine, but the final decision rests solely with President Donald Trump.
