Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a meeting in New York on September 23, appealed to then-President Donald Trump for long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles for Ukraine. Zelensky argued that having this weapon would increase pressure on Russia and could serve as an additional incentive for President Vladimir Putin to start negotiations, even without the direct use of the missiles.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Details of the Request and Trump’s Response
According to information confirmed by sources familiar with the negotiations, the Ukrainian side specifically requested Tomahawk missiles. Their use requires special infrastructure, including vertical launch systems on ships or submarines, as well as guidance and control systems. Since Ukraine does not have such platforms, the capabilities for using this weapon would be limited.
“We need them, but that doesn’t mean we would use them. Because if we have them, I think it would be additional pressure on Putin to sit down and talk,” Zelensky noted in an interview.
He emphasized that the use of Tomahawks would depend on Russia’s further actions. Additionally, Zelensky reported that Donald Trump supported the idea of a symmetrical response to strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. In particular, if Russia attacks Ukraine’s energy sector, Kyiv could respond by targeting the enemy’s energy facilities, as well as weapons depots and production capacities.
Despite these arguments, Trump decided not to approve the transfer of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine and did not allow their sale even through NATO countries.
Tomahawk Specifications and U.S. Position
The Tomahawk cruise missile, produced by RTX, has a range of up to 1,000 miles (over 1,600 km), significantly exceeding the parameters of ATACMS missiles (up to 190 miles), which are currently used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Tomahawk also features greater speed and power compared to Ukrainian drones, which reach deep into Russian territory but often encounter powerful enemy air defense systems.
For over a year, Ukraine has been appealing to international partners for long-range weapons. At the same time, Kyiv is developing its own solutions, including the “Palyanytsya” and “Flamingo” projects, but their specifications fall short of the Tomahawk.
According to sources, among the main reasons for the U.S. refusal are concerns about the potential escalation of the war and the risks that would arise if missiles capable of reaching Moscow fell into the hands of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. An additional factor is the limited stock of Tomahawks in the U.S.: replenishing them requires several months of production.