Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that the relationship between Russia and the United States will completely deteriorate if the US provides Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, leading to a new and dangerous phase of conflict between the two nations. This follows a statement by US Vice President JD Vance, who mentioned considering the supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, potentially enabling Ukraine to target major Russian cities such as Moscow. The Tomahawk missile has a range of approximately 2,500 kilometers, capable of reaching the entirety of Russia. However, some US officials have indicated that a significant portion of these missiles are already reserved within the US Navy and other departments, making it challenging to supply them to Ukraine. Putin, during an interview on Russian television, emphasized the severity of such a move, further stating that Russia is reinforcing its air defense systems to counter these missiles. Putin characterized the current state of relations between Russia and the West as the worst since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. He attributed the expansion of NATO as a threat to Russia’s security and an attempt to diminish Russia’s regional influence. Western countries and Ukraine view this as an act of aggression and a display of Russia’s imperialistic ambitions, while European leaders suggest that Putin may attack NATO countries if Russia is not defeated, a claim Putin has repeatedly denied.
