Putin Warns US Over Tomahawk Missiles for Ukraine: Bilateral Relations at Risk

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning that supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine for long-range strikes into Russian territory could destroy Moscow’s relationship with Washington. The remarks come amid discussions in Washington about arming Kyiv to strike deep inside Russian territory, escalating tensions less than two months after US President Donald Trump met Putin at a summit in Alaska.

Putin emphasised that any transfer of Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of 2,500 km (1,550 miles), would place Moscow and the rest of European Russia within reach of Ukrainian strikes. Speaking in a video clip released by Russian state television, he warned that such a move would trigger a “qualitatively new stage of escalation”, involving direct US military participation and fundamentally altering US-Russia relations.

The Kremlin has framed the potential missile supply as a threat to Russia’s national security, though Putin suggested that Russia could counter the missiles using its air defence systems. He also linked the Ukraine conflict to broader geopolitical tensions, claiming that NATO expansion and Western policies since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union have humiliated Russia and encroached on its sphere of influence.

Meanwhile, the United States has reportedly considered providing intelligence on long-range energy infrastructure targets in Russia to Ukraine, as part of its ongoing support. However, officials caution that sending Tomahawks may be logistically challenging, as current missile inventories are largely committed to the US Navy and other operational uses.

The situation has drawn sharp international attention, with Western European leaders and Ukraine framing Russia’s actions as an imperial-style aggression, pledging to push Russian forces back. Putin, however, maintains that any escalation would not only target Ukraine but reshape Moscow’s ties with the United States, raising stakes in the ongoing war and broader geopolitical stability.