Former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev has raised alarm bells over the potential delivery of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles from the U.S. to Ukraine, which he claims ‘could end badly.’ This comment comes in the wake of suggestions by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding sending these missiles to Kyiv.
Why This Is Crucial
Last month, Vice President JD Vance mentioned that the U.S. might reply positively to Ukraine’s persistent requests for Tomahawk sea-launched missiles. These weapons would considerably enhance Ukraine’s capability to target deeper into Russia, featuring a range of approximately 1,550 miles—comparable to the Kalibr cruise missiles frequently employed by Moscow against Ukraine.
Russia has expressed strong opposition to this move, indicating that it would shatter Washington’s relations with Moscow. Furthermore, they assert that Ukraine cannot utilize these missiles without direct U.S. support.
Key Takeaways
Medvedev, known as a close ally of Vladimir Putin and currently serving as deputy chair of Russia’s security council, stated on Monday that the ‘delivery of these missiles could result in detrimental outcomes for all parties involved,’ specifically mentioning Trump.
In the past, Medvedev and Trump have engaged in public spats, notably when Medvedev referred to Russia’s ‘dead hand’ mechanism meant to launch nuclear weapons if senior commanding officials were incapacitated by enemy actions. In response, Trump deployed two U.S. Navy nuclear submarines, claiming Medvedev’s remarks were ‘highly provocative.’ The Republican has not shied away from labeling Medvedev a ‘stupid person.’
In his recent post on the messaging app Telegram, Medvedev expressed hope that Trump’s statements were merely bluster. ‘It could just be another empty threat,’ he said, referring to the deployment of nuclear submarines closer to Russia.
During a flight to Israel, Trump indicated he ‘might’ consider sending the missiles, stating, ‘We’ll see,’ as he discussed the ongoing conflict with reporters on Air Force One.
‘I might say, ‘Look: if this war doesn’t get resolved, I’m going to send them Tomahawks,” Trump noted.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed on Sunday that he spoke with Trump twice within two days. They discussed ways to ‘strengthen’ Ukraine’s military capabilities, including its long-range potential, describing their discussions as ‘productive.’
A spokesperson for Ukraine’s foreign ministry acknowledged a detailed and proactive conversation about the possibility of acquiring these missiles.
On the Russian side, Andrei Kartapolov, who leads the parliamentary defense committee, downplayed the potential impact of providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles. However, he also warned on October 8 that Moscow’s response would be ‘tough, complex, calibrated and asymmetrical.’
Public Reactions
Heorhii Tykhyi from Ukraine’s foreign ministry commented recently, noting that currently, no definitive ‘no’ response exists to this issue.
In remarks earlier this month, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov urged the U.S. to think thoroughly about the implications of such a decision.
