The Tomahawk missile, while a piece of Cold War technology, remains a very effective long-range cruise missile. It can carry a significant 1,000-pound payload and has a range of over a thousand miles. So, it's easy to imagine why embattled Ukraine may want some of these.
The Pentagon has given the White House the go-ahead to decide on any sales of Tomahawks to NATO nations who would then provide them to Ukraine, on the basis that the sales wouldn't dangerously deplete America's stocks of this key weapons system.
The Pentagon has approved sending long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine — giving President Trump the final say on whether to arm Kyiv with them, according to a new report.
The Pentagon gave the White House the green light on Saturday after an assessment found that transferring the missiles would not impact US stockpiles, US and European officials told CNN.
Trump had previously said he would be hesitant to give “away things that we need to protect our country,” but the Pentagon’s assessment appears to clear away that hurdle for Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pleaded with Trump to provide Kyiv with Tomahawk missiles, which could really hit Vladimir Putin where it hurts.
These missiles would enable Ukraine to strike deep into Russia, potentially even hitting targets in Moscow, which has not been under enemy fire since World War 2. That's a capability that Ukraine's President Zelensky would doubtlessly love to have, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. On Sunday, while on Air Force One bound for Washington, President Trump indicated he wasn't in favor of sending these missiles through NATO to Ukraine.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday that, for now, he is not considering a deal that would allow Ukraine to obtain long-range Tomahawk missiles for use against Russia.
Trump has been cool to a plan for the United States to sell Tomahawks to NATO nations that would transfer them to Ukraine, saying he does not want to escalate the war.
His latest comments to reporters aboard Air Force One indicate that he remains reluctant.
"No, not really," Trump told reporters as he flew to Washington from Palm Beach, Florida, when asked whether he was considering a deal to sell the missiles. He added, however, that he could change his mind.
Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte discussed the Tomahawk idea when they met at the White House on October 22. Rutte said on Friday that the issue was under review and that it was up to the United States to decide.
It wouldn't be surprising at all if the president remains cool to this idea.
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Most of the American-built weaponry supplied to Ukraine has been tactical systems, including artillery, anti-armor missiles, air-defense systems, tanks, and other vehicles, along with munitions. Ukraine is operating some American aircraft, including F-16 fighters, but most of the American weapons supplied to Ukraine have not had strategic capacity. The Tomahawk does.
This would represent a significant escalation in the level of American aid, providing Ukraine with a way to strike directly at the Russian capital. It's a fair point to note that the Russians have more than enough capacity to strike Ukraine's capital, and they have done so, but they did so with their own weapons.
There are good arguments for and against providing these weapons to Ukraine. For the moment, President Trump appears to be erring on the side of caution, choosing to avoid causing any Russian escalation, which would almost surely ensue if Ukraine struck directly at Moscow.
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