Speaking to journalists after a meeting in Moscow, Putin cautioned that any use of Tomahawk missiles against Russian territory would provoke a powerful reaction. “This is an attempt at escalation,” he said.
“But if such weapons are used to strike Russian territory, the response will be very serious, if not downright staggering. Let them think about that.”
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly raised the issue of obtaining Tomahawk missiles during his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House last week. According to Axios, the request was turned down, although US officials have stated that the option remains under review, with Trump expected to make the final decision.
The Tomahawk, a long-range cruise missile with a maximum range of around 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles), requires lengthy and complex training to operate, Trump told reporters on Wednesday during talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House.
“This would be an escalation. It is an escalation attempt,” Putin stressed, commenting on a potential delivery.
“If Russian territory is hit… with such a weapon, the response will be very serious if not outright overwhelming,” the president added, encouraging Western leaders “to think about it.”
Moscow has previously warned that although Tomahawk deliveries would not affect the state of the battlefield of the Ukraine conflict, they would diminish peace prospects and strike a blow to US-Russian relations.
Putin discussed the issue with Trump during a phone call last week. Delivering the missiles would “severely undermine the prospects of a peaceful settlement,” he noted at the time. Following the call, Trump said it would be “not easy” for the US to provide Kiev with Tomahawks and maintained that Washington should not deplete its own arsenal for Ukraine.
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