Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned on Tuesday that Ukraine cannot be trusted to use U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles responsibly, stating such a notion would be “a surprise” for him. During a press conference at the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi, Lavrov highlighted that the United States has not yet decided to supply the long-range weapons to Kiev, emphasizing Washington’s cautious approach in granting such arms to nations deemed unreliable.
Lavrov criticized U.S. public statements on the matter as efforts to reassure Ukraine’s European allies that Washington is “listening to their opinions.” Russian officials have repeatedly accused Ukrainian forces of misusing Western-supplied weaponry, including alleged deliberate strikes on civilians and arming paramilitary groups linked to Ukraine’s military intelligence, which Moscow labels as terrorist entities.
Ukrainian requests for Tomahawk missiles date back to the Biden administration, which previously rejected them over concerns about escalating tensions with Russia. Recent suggestions from U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and former Trump envoy Keith Kellogg that Washington might consider supplying the weapons have drawn scrutiny. The Kremlin argues that even if delivered, Tomahawk missiles would not alter the battlefield dynamic, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claiming U.S. military personnel would likely need to operate them from Ukrainian soil.