Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that supplying long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would destroy Moscow’s relationship with Washington, marking a sharp escalation less than two months after US President Donald Trump’s summit with him in Alaska. Putin’s remarks come amid talk in Washington of arming Kyiv to conduct strikes deep inside Russian territory, including potentially targeting Moscow.
Trump has expressed disappointment with Putin for not achieving peace and has characterized Russia as a "paper tiger" for failing to subdue Ukraine. In response, Putin questioned whether NATO itself was the "paper tiger" for not halting Russia’s advances in Ukraine. US Vice President JD Vance confirmed that Washington is considering a Ukrainian request for Tomahawk missiles, though no final decision has been made.
Tomahawk cruise missiles, with a range of 2,500 kilometres, would put the Kremlin and much of European Russia within striking distance if supplied to Ukraine. Putin argued that using such missiles would require direct participation of US military personnel, which he said would trigger a "qualitatively new stage of escalation" in US-Russia relations. He also claimed that Russia could counter such attacks with its air defence systems.
Reports indicate the US may provide Ukraine with intelligence on long-range energy infrastructure targets in Russia while weighing the feasibility of supplying Tomahawks. However, some US officials caution that the missiles may not be available, as current inventories are committed to the US Navy and other uses.
Putin frames the Ukraine war as a pivotal moment in Russia’s relations with the West, citing NATO’s expansion and perceived encroachment on Russia’s sphere of influence since the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991. Western European nations and Ukraine view the conflict as an imperial-style land grab, vowing to defeat Russian forces while arguing that failure to do so could increase the risk of attacks on NATO members—a claim Putin has repeatedly denied.
