The potential supply of US Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv will signal a "qualitatively new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the US," Putin said at a forum of international foreign policy experts in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi
The Russian leader noted that even though Tomahawk missiles will inflict damage on Russia if supplied to Ukraine, Russian air defences will quickly adapt to the new threat. "It will certainly not change the balance of force on the battlefield," he added, emphasising that the Russian military is continuously making gains against Ukraine
Asked about Trump dismissing Russia as a "paper tiger" because of its failure to defeat its smaller neighbour after more than 3 1/2 years of fighting, Putin argued that Russia has faced all the NATO allies backing Kyiv
"We are fighting against the entire bloc of NATO and we keep moving, keep advancing and feel confident and we are a paper tiger; what NATO itself is?" he said. "A paper tiger? Go and deal with this paper tiger then"
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