Russia threatens 'serious damage' to relations with US, Turkey over weapons shipment to Ukraine
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The Kremlin has contacted officials in Washington and Ankara with concerns regarding an upcoming transfer of arms to Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Aug. 15.
Her remarks come a week after U.S. congressional records revealed that Turkey was planning to re-export a significant package of American-made weapons to Kyiv. The shipment includes 70 long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), along with other materiel.
The delivery of such weapons will cause "serious damage to our bilateral relations with Washington and Ankara," Zakharova told reporters.
Sending arms to Ukraine undermines attempts by the U.S. and Turkey to act as mediators in the war between Kyiv and Moscow, the foreign ministry said.
"Attempts to use peace-promoting rhetoric while simultaneously supplying weapons to (Ukraine) inevitably erode mutual trust, especially against the backdrop of repeated assurances by Turkish officials that Turkey is avoiding 'lethal' deliveries to Kyiv," Zakharova said.
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Turkey, a NATO member, has positioned itself as a potential peace broker in the Russia-Ukraine war, maintaining a close economic and political partnership with Moscow while also providing arms to Kyiv.
Turkey has positioned itself as a potential peace broker in the war, and helped implement the Black Sea Grain initiative back in 2022 for safe maritime exports of grain and fertilizer from Ukraine.
In 2022, Turkey helped implement the Black Sea Grain initiative for safe maritime exports of grain and fertilizer from Ukraine. The country has also hosted trilateral negotiations between the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia, though those talks have not led to a ceasefire or a broader settlement.
U.S. President Donald Trump began his second term with promises to end the war in Ukraine, though his attempts to broker a peace deal have stalled amid his ongoing war against Iran. Trump dramatically scaled back U.S. military support for Kyiv after taking office, championing a diplomatic solution and promoting his "America First" doctrine.
Under Trump, Washington has ended large-scale defense funding and delivery of U.S. military aid to Ukraine, leaving Kyiv to rely on support from other partners to obtain key weapons systems.
According to congressional documents, Turkey is looking to offload older weapons systems as it upgrades to new models. In addition to the 70 M39 ATACMS missiles, the package for Ukraine includes 12 M270 multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS), over 2,000 cluster munitions, and 47,000 howitzer rounds.
Zakharova warned that such weapons would cause "multifacted damage" — both to targets in Russia and Moscow's trust in the U.S. and Turkey. She said the ministry had reached out to Washington and Ankara for "clarification" regarding the upcoming delivery.
"It is not too late to assess the situation soberly," she said.
