Russia says 'will do everything' to ensure its safety if US sends Tomahawks to Ukraine
Russia "will do everything" to ensure its security if the U.S. transfers Tomahawk long-range missiles to Ukraine, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Oct. 16.
The statement comes a day before President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, where the two leaders are expected to discuss Ukraine's request for the missiles.
The possible transfer has drawn sharp warnings of "a new level of escalation" from the Kremlin.
"Our military knows what to do; they have the military potential and all the necessary capabilities. Everything will be done to ensure the security of our country," Peskov told Russian media.
The U.S. has been weighing whether to supply Ukraine with Tomahawks, which have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles), allowing Kyiv to strike targets deep inside Russian territory.
The missile, designed for precision strikes, would give Ukraine the ability to hit command centers, logistical hubs, and other military targets across western Russia and even in the Urals.
The Ukrainian president has repeatedly pressed Washington to provide the weapon, calling it a necessary step to strengthen Ukraine's defense and force Moscow back to the negotiating table.
"Right now, it is important to send a signal that Ukraine will be strengthened by all means possible. And this is one of those means that is important to me — Tomahawks," he said on Oct. 8.
Zelensky first raised the issue with Trump in September 2024, when the then-presidential candidate met him at Trump Tower in New York. Their upcoming meeting on Oct. 17 at the White House marks their sixth in-person encounter since Trump's return to office in January.
The meeting comes amid increasing pessimism about peace talks following Russian President Vladimir Putin's effective dismissal of direct negotiations with Zelensky — an initiative that Trump backed.
The U.S. president told reporters on Oct. 15 that Ukraine wants to "go offensive" in the war against Russia and that he would decide whether to approve such a strategy after meeting with Zelensky.
"They want to go offensive," Trump said in the Oval Office. "I'll make a determination on that, but they want to go offensive, and we'll have to make a determination."
Putin warned on Oct. 5 that arming Ukraine with long-range missiles capable of striking Siberia would represent "a new stage of escalation" and could undermine any progress in U.S.-Russia relations.
Trump's administration has recently toughened its rhetoric toward the Kremlin, with the U.S. president saying in September that Ukraine could reclaim all territories occupied since 2022.
