Tomahawk Ultimatum: Putin Warns of ‘Qualitatively New Escalation’

Moscow – President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark ultimatum regarding the potential supply of American Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, warning that such a move would represent a “qualitatively new stage of escalation” with devastating consequences for US-Russia relations.
The Russian leader’s warning, delivered during a high-level military meeting, was precise. He argued that the technical sophistication of the Tomahawk system would make its deployment and use “impossible” without the direct participation of US military personnel on the ground.
In the Kremlin’s view, this would amount to direct American involvement in the conflict, a red line that, if crossed, would lead to the complete “destruction” of the already tense relationship between the two nuclear powers. This places immense pressure on Washington’s policy decisions regarding military aid.
This grave threat was set against a backdrop of claimed Russian military success. Putin announced that his forces had captured a vast area of nearly 5,000 square kilometers in Ukraine this year, an achievement he said has given Moscow the “complete strategic initiative.”
While the world’s focus is on this missile standoff, Ukraine continues to fight on other fronts, with President Zelenskyy accusing Russia of using its commercial oil tankers for espionage and sabotage, highlighting the multifaceted nature of the ongoing war.