MOSCOW: Russia said on Monday that no telephone call was currently planned between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, after the US leader warned he might send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.
Trump has been mulling potential supplies of the long-range missiles to Kyiv via European allies since his meeting with Putin in Alaska in August failed to produce a peace deal.
He said Sunday that he might warn Putin about the possible deliveries if Russia does not halt its offensive.
But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “There are no clear agreements on a phone conversation yet.
“There are many opportunities for promptly organising such a conversation,” if it was needed, he added.
Russia has repeatedly said it would see supplying the weapon as a significant escalation.
The missiles have a range of 2,500 kilometres (1,500 miles), putting much of western Russia, including the capital Moscow, within striking distance.
They are also technically capable of carrying nuclear warheads and Moscow said it would treat any launches of the missile as if they were loaded with a nuclear weapon.
Former president Dmitry Medvedev, now a deputy chair of Russia’s security council, said Monday that if the United States opted to supply the weapons, it could backfire on Trump directly.
“The delivery of these missiles could end badly for everyone. And above all, for Trump himself,” he said on Telegram.
In August, Trump and Medvedev, known for his hawkish and provocative anti-Western comments, clashed after the US leader upped his pressure on Moscow to halt its offensive on Ukraine.
Trump responded by redeploying military submarines and warning that Medvedev’s statements could “lead to unintended consequences.”
On Monday, Trump reiterated his warning that he might provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles. “I might say, ‘Look: if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks”.
“The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that,” reports AP News.
Trump added, “I might tell them that if the war is not settled, that we may very well. We may not, but we may do it. I think it’s appropriate to bring up.”
His remarks came after a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during which Trump said he raised the possibility of supplying Tomahawks.
“Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I don’t think so,” Trump said of Russia. “I think I might speak to Russia about that.” He also described Tomahawks as “a new step of aggression.”
