U.S. President Donald Trump. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
As reported by YouTube
On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said from aboard Air Force One that he could warn the Russian leader Vladimir Putin about the possibility of transferring long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine if the war is not resolved soon. He said this during a flight to Israel and added that he wants to support Ukraine with new batches of weapons at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“They would like to have Tomahawk missiles. It’s a step forward”
The U.S. president did not specify whether an official decision on shipments has already been made, but stressed that Washington expects significant progress toward resolving the conflict in the coming weeks.
On October 6, Trump said that he had “to some extent” made a decision regarding supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles. He added that he does not seek escalation and would like to know exactly what these missiles will be used for and where they will be directed.
“I have, to some extent, made a decision to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk long-range missiles”
Earlier, Axios reported that Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, asked Trump to provide Kyiv with Tomahawk missiles. Foreign Minister Andriy Siga said that the presidents of Ukraine and the United States discussed lifting the taboo on arms deliveries during that meeting.
During conversations with reporters on October 8, President Zelenskyy confirmed that Trump did not refuse the request to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk long-range missiles during their White House meeting on August 18 of this year.
On October 10, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin stated that if Kyiv receives these cruise missiles, Moscow’s response will be to strengthen the air defense system.
“If Kyiv receives these cruise missiles, Moscow’s response will be to strengthen the air defense system”
Current context and possible consequences
Discussion of options for arming Kyiv continues to intensify on the political and military fronts. In the Pentagon and the White House they emphasize that decisions on any kind of weapons must take into account the consequences for regional stability and security. Some experts stress deterrence, others the need to strengthen Ukraine’s defense in the context of a prolonged war.
In light of statements by leaders of various countries, attention is growing to which exact defense means can be provided to Kyiv and under what conditions. This concerns not only the range of weapons, but also mechanisms to monitor the use of the supplied equipment and the boundaries of responsibility of the parties in case of escalation.
It is important that any decision requires coordination with allies and partners, taking into account minimizing risks for all participants in the conflict. The main thing is to ensure a real impact on the course of the confrontation and civilian safety on the front.
Overall, the topic of providing high-precision weapons to Kyiv remains a hotly debated matter among the United States, Europe, and Russia, and its implications for security in Europe and intercontinental policy remain relevant for many players on the world stage.
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