Ukraine: Russia hints escalation as US considers Tomahawks supply
The Russian government has warned that the provision of the United States-made Tomahawk long-range missiles to Ukraine would escalate the ongoing war.
Responding to a question on the supply early this week, President Donald Trump indicated that he “sort of made a decision,” but offered no further details.
Speaking on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said the missile delivery would destroy the relations between Russia and America.
“A corresponding decision by the US administration will not just send the confrontation into a downward spiral, but also do irreparable damage to Russian-US relations,” she asserted.
According to Zakharova, it is irrational to heavily fortify Kiev at a time Moscow and Washington are displaying genuine willingness to resume bilateral dialogue and cooperation.
Russia says it is “keeping the closest eye on the situation” and called for “extreme restraint regarding this highly sensitive issue” to avoid complicating efforts to resolve the conflict.
Zakharova echoed President Vladimir Putin’s opposition to America’s attempt to bolster Ukraine’s offensive and defensive systems, advising Washington to “hear our message.”
The diplomat said although Russia has significantly upgraded its missile defense shield, cruise missiles in the hands of the Kiev “will take us to a new serious stage of escalation of the crisis.”
Zakharova added that the question is not about the Tomahawks getting into the hands of the Ukrainian forces, but the fact that their use is impossible without the direct involvement of the U.S. military.
President Putin recently warned that the supply of Tomahawks to Ukraine would be a “completely new, qualitatively new stage of escalation” that puts America and Russia in direct confrontation.
During their meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September, President Volodymyr Zelensky urged President Donald Trump to approve the Tomahawks delivery to help Ukraine strike deep into Russia.