'We'll see...I may': Trump on sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump is contemplating the possibility of supplying Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine. He said it would be a "new step of aggression" in the ongoing war with Russia. When asked about this on Air Force One as he was flying to Israel, Trump responded, "We'll see... I may." This comes after his recent phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where they discussed strengthening military capabilities against Russia.
Escalation fears
Tomahawk missiles can reach Moscow, Russia warns US against escalation
The Tomahawk missiles have a range of 2,500km, which would allow Ukraine to target Moscow. Russia had previously warned the US that supplying such long-range missiles to Kyiv would escalate the conflict and further strain US-Russian relations. However, last month, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, "Whether it's Tomahawks or other missiles, they won't be able to change the dynamic."
Diplomatic discussions
Trump suggests discussing potential Tomahawk deployment with Russia
Trump hinted that he might discuss the issue of the potential deployment with Russia. "I might tell them that if the war is not settled, that we may very well, we may not, but we may do it," he said. He added, "Do they want Tomahawks going in their direction? I don't think so." Ukraine has repeatedly requested long-range missiles to target Russian cities far from the conflict zones as part of its military strategy.
Military strategy
Trump's envoy hints at deep strikes authorization
Last month, Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, suggested that the US president had authorized strikes deep into Russian territory. He told Fox News that "there are no such things as sanctuaries" from attacks in the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukrainian cities have been under heavy bombardment with drones and missiles, with Russia especially targeting the energy infrastructure, leading to frequent power cuts.