Despite repeated warnings from the Russian political establishment against moving forward with the proposal, the U.S. continues to consider transferring its Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, which would grant that country greater long-range strike capabilities. Yesterday, President Donald Trump himself told reporters aboard Air Force One that it remained a “viable possibility,” acknowledging that such a move would represent another step in the escalation of the war.
The U.S. president’s remarks came shortly after a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, who presented the latest updates on the conflict and sought to push for the delivery of Tomahawk missiles to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to conduct a potential counteroffensive. It should be recalled that, depending on the missile variant ultimately sent, Tomahawks have a maximum range of up to 2,500 kilometers—meaning that, in Ukrainian hands, they could potentially enable strikes even against the Russian capital.
Moreover, these statements—keeping alive the possibility that Ukraine might receive such weaponry—come at a time when President Trump has voiced his disappointment with Moscow over its lack of commitment to peace negotiations. In this regard, he stated: “I could tell them (Russia) that if the war isn’t resolved, it’s very possible that (we’ll send Tomahawks to Ukraine), maybe not, but maybe we will. Do they want Tomahawks heading their way? I don’t think so.”
From the Kremlin, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov admitted that the “spirit” of the meeting held in Anchorage between the presidents of the U.S. and Russia was already “exhausted.” Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov—who had previously expressed doubts that the missiles would truly tip the balance in Ukraine’s favor—stated that the issue was of “particular concern to Russia” and that the delivery of Tomahawks would mark a “new stage of qualitative escalation.”
Among the most outspoken figures, as has often been the case since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, is former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Through a statement posted on the social network Telegram, he asserted that it would be impossible for Russian forces to determine whether the missiles carried nuclear warheads at the moment of launch, later asking what form of response his country should adopt—hinting that a potential nuclear retaliation could be under consideration.
Finally, it should be noted that during the phone call between Trump and Zelensky, other aspects of potential future U.S. aid to Ukraine were also discussed. In particular, they talked about the need to strengthen the country’s air defenses amid an increase in aerial attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure—a key factor as Europe heads into a winter of extremely low temperatures.
Images used for illustrative purposes
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