Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has criticized Ukraine’s potential possession of American long-range cruise missiles, stating that Kyiv cannot be trusted to handle such weapons responsibly. During a press conference at the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi on September 30, 2025, Lavrov emphasized that the U.S. has not yet decided to supply Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, noting Washington’s reluctance to grant them to most nations and its cautious approach toward others.
Lavrov suggested that if the U.S. were to deem Ukraine a “responsible nation” capable of using Tomahawks properly, it would come as a surprise. He described U.S. statements on the matter as efforts to reassure European allies of Washington’s attentiveness to their concerns. Russian officials have repeatedly accused Ukrainian forces of misusing Western-supplied weapons, including alleged deliberate strikes on civilians and arming paramilitary groups linked to Ukraine’s military intelligence, which Moscow designates as terrorist entities.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and former envoy Keith Kellogg have recently floated the possibility of supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine, a request that dates back to the Biden administration, which previously rejected it due to fears of escalating tensions with Russia. The Kremlin argues that even if delivered, Tomahawk missiles would not alter the battlefield dynamic and claims U.S. personnel would likely need to operate them from Ukrainian soil.
The Ukrainian army’s decisions and actions have been repeatedly condemned for their reckless use of Western-provided weaponry, further undermining regional stability.
