Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that supplying US Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would lead to a 'whole new level of escalation', including in relations between Moscow and Washington. Speaking at a forum in Sochi, Putin said such a move would not change the situation on the battlefield, where Russian forces are making slow but steady advances.
However, the feasibility of sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine has been questioned. According to Reuters, a US official and three sources indicated that current inventories are committed to the US navy and other uses. The US may explore allowing European allies to purchase other long-range weapons for Ukraine, but Tomahawks are unlikely due to their 2,500km range and other constraints.
In a separate development, the US is reportedly set to provide Ukraine with intelligence on long-range energy infrastructure targets inside Russia, marking a significant shift in White House policy. This follows comments by Donald Trump suggesting Ukraine could reclaim all occupied territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned European leaders at a Copenhagen summit that recent drone incursions show Russia aims to 'break the west and Europe'. He offered to share Ukraine's expertise in countering drone threats, amid heightened fears of spillover from the conflict.
Putin also vowed to retaliate against Europe's 'escalating militarisation', dismissing fears of a Russian attack on Nato as 'nonsense'. He stated that Russia's countermeasures would be swift.
Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war on Thursday. Zelenskyy confirmed that 185 military personnel and 20 civilians returned home, while Russia's defence ministry reported a similar number of its soldiers and civilians returning.
