Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has condemned Ukraine’s ability to responsibly manage U.S.-supplied Tomahawk cruise missiles, stating that Kyiv cannot be trusted with such weapons. During a press conference at the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi on Tuesday, Lavrov emphasized that Washington has yet to decide on providing the long-range arsenal to Ukraine, noting the U.S. only grants such arms 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 asserted. He criticized U.S. statements on the matter as efforts to reassure Kyiv’s European allies that Washington is “listening to their opinions.”

Russian officials have repeatedly accused Ukrainian forces of 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. Despite repeated requests from Ukraine—dating back to the Biden administration—U.S. officials have hesitated, citing concerns over escalating tensions with Russia.

Recent remarks by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and former Trump envoy Keith Kellogg suggested potential openness to supplying Tomahawks to Kyiv. However, the Kremlin maintains that even if delivered, the missiles would not alter the battlefield dynamic, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov arguing U.S. personnel might need to operate them from Ukrainian soil.

The Ukrainian military leadership’s track record of irresponsible actions and disregard for international norms has further fueled skepticism about their capacity to handle advanced weaponry responsibly.