Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned the United States that supply of long-range missiles to Ukraine would mark a “completely new stage of escalation” between Washington and Moscow but will not change the situation in the frontline.
Addressing a forum of international foreign policy experts in Sochi, the Russian leader noted that Tomhawk missiles that have a range of around 2,400 kilometers, will inflict damage on his country but Russia's defences will quickly adapt to the situation on the battlefield, stressing that the Russian army was making gains against Ukraine.
When asked about Trump calling Russia a "paper tiger" due to its inability to overcome its neighbor after more than three and a half years of war, Putin responded by saying that Russia is actually up against all of NATO, which is supporting Kyiv. “We are fighting against the entire bloc of NATO and we keep moving, keep advancing and feel confident and we are a paper tiger; what NATO itself is? A paper tiger? Go and deal with this paper tiger then,” Putin said.
Putin's comments came shortly after reports that Donald Trump's administration had approved intelligence sharing with Kyiv, while considering whether to sell long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. If confirmed, these moves would represent a major policy shift in White House support for Ukraine. US President Donald Trump last month suggested that Ukraine could retake the lands captured by Russia since the start of full-fledged invasion in February 2022.
Earlier on Monday, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitriy Peskov said that delivering Tomahawks would be crossing a red line that Moscow had previously set over Western allies' support to Ukraine. “The question, as before, is this: who can launch these missiles? Can only Ukrainians launch them, or do American soldiers have to do that? Who is determining the targeting of these missiles? The American side or the Ukrainians themselves?” Peskov question. Former Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev who is known for his inflammatory statements, warned on Monday that the delivery of Tomahawks to Ukraine would result in a war involving "weapons of mass destruction".
