Washington, D.C. – October 13, 2025 – In a stark escalation of rhetoric amid ongoing diplomatic maneuvers, U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Sunday that he is prepared to authorize the shipment of advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine if Russia's invasion does not conclude promptly. The announcement, delivered aboard Air Force One en route to the Middle East, underscores a hardening U.S. stance toward Moscow, blending threats of military support with calls for immediate peace talks. Trump's comments came just hours after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where the two leaders reportedly discussed bolstering Kyiv's arsenal as a means to compel negotiations.
The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM), a staple of U.S. naval firepower since the 1980s, boasts a range exceeding 1,550 miles (2,500 kilometers), capable of precision strikes on high-value targets from sea or ground platforms. Equipped with GPS guidance and terrain-matching technology, it could theoretically enable Ukraine to target deep into Russian territory, including Moscow itself, marking a qualitative leap beyond the shorter-range ATACMS missiles supplied last year. Trump framed the potential transfer not as an outright commitment but as leverage, telling reporters, "Look, if this war is not going to get settled, I'm going to send them Tomahawks. I may say that the Tomahawk is a credible weapon, a very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that… I might tell them that if the war is not settled, that we may very well. We may not, but we may do it."
This is not the first time Trump has broached the subject in recent weeks. Last Monday, October 6, he indicated he had "sort of made a decision" on the matter, emphasizing the need to scrutinize Ukraine's intended use: "I want to find out what they're doing with them, where they're sending them." The administration has explored indirect pathways, such as selling the missiles to NATO allies for subsequent transfer to Kyiv, to sidestep direct U.S.-Ukraine arms deals. However, logistical hurdles loom large. Current U.S. inventories are earmarked for Navy operations, with annual production hovering between 55 and 90 units—far short of the volumes required for sustained Ukrainian operations. Experts note that adapting the missiles for ground launches would demand new infrastructure, training, and integration with Ukraine's command systems, potentially delaying deployment by months.
Trump's remarks were laced with a direct appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he suggested he might contact personally. "I might have to speak to Russia, to be honest. Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I don’t think so. I think I might speak to Russia about that, in all fairness," Trump said, adding that he had relayed this to Zelenskyy during their discussions. This comes after a failed summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska last August, where hopes for a breakthrough evaporated amid Moscow's insistence on territorial concessions from Ukraine. The U.S. leader's tone reflects a broader pivot: once a vocal proponent of swift negotiations potentially at Kyiv's expense, Trump has grown increasingly critical of Russia's intransigence, recently dubbing its military a "paper tiger" and affirming Ukraine's potential to reclaim all seized lands.
The Kremlin wasted no time in decrying the threat. Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesperson, voiced "extreme concern," labeling it a "completely new stage of escalation" that could shatter nascent U.S.-Russia détente. Putin himself, speaking at a foreign policy forum on October 3, projected nonchalance, predicting Trump would ultimately balk due to America's inward focus, though he warned that any delivery would necessitate direct U.S. involvement—implying American operators on the ground. Russian officials have echoed this, asserting that Tomahawks' nuclear-capable variants would cross a red line, though the conventional models under discussion lack such payloads. Moscow's warnings recall similar objections to prior aid packages, from ATACMS to F-16 jets, none of which derailed Western support.
Zelenskyy, in a subsequent Fox News interview, struck an optimistic chord, describing his weekend calls with Trump—Saturday and Sunday—as "very productive." He confirmed active collaboration on procuring Tomahawks, alongside Patriot air defense systems and additional ATACMS, while stressing ethical boundaries: "Ukraine would only use Tomahawk missiles for military purposes and not attack civilians in Russia." A senior Ukrainian delegation, including Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak and Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, is slated to arrive in Washington on Tuesday to hammer out details on security aid and sanctions against Russian oil buyers. Zelenskyy also tied the momentum to Trump's Middle East diplomacy, lauding the Gaza ceasefire as a blueprint. "The agreement reached in Gaza offers a glimmer of hope for peace... I hope that Trump will use the same instrument—even more—to pressure Putin to stop his war in Ukraine," he said, even floating a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for the U.S. president if a similar deal materializes in Kyiv.
This linkage is no coincidence. Trump made his Ukraine remarks as he departed for Israel and Egypt, ahead of the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit on Gaza, co-chaired by him and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The October 13 gathering, attended by over 20 world leaders including France's Emmanuel Macron, the UK's Keir Starmer, Germany's Friedrich Merz, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, Spain's Pedro Sánchez, and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, aims to formalize the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10. Brokered in Sharm el-Sheikh last week, the deal's first phase—hostage releases and partial prisoner swaps—has held, with Hamas expected to free 20 living Israeli captives by Monday in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian detainees, including high-profile figures like Marwan Barghouti. Aid convoys resumed crossing into Gaza on Sunday, a vital lifeline after nearly two years of war that has claimed over 67,000 Palestinian lives, per Hamas-run health authorities, and displaced millions.
Yet, neither Israel nor Hamas will attend the summit, highlighting lingering distrust. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a pre-summit address, appealed for national unity while cautioning that the military campaign "is not over," vowing continued operations against residual threats. Trump's itinerary includes a Knesset speech in Jerusalem before heading to the Sinai resort, where he will push for phased de-escalation, humanitarian access, and a pathway to lasting security—elements Zelenskyy explicitly hopes to replicate in Ukraine. U.S. Vice President JD Vance hailed the Gaza progress on ABC's "This Week" as "true peace in the Middle East for the first time in my lifetime," signaling Trump's intent to export this model globally.
Back in Ukraine, the specter of Tomahawks arrives against a grim backdrop. Overnight Russian strikes on October 12 targeted energy infrastructure, part of a winter-preemptive campaign that has left millions without power. Zelenskyy reported that the latest barrage incorporated over 102,000 foreign-sourced components, underscoring sanctions evasion. On the ground, Ukrainian forces have adapted ingeniously—developing indigenous targeting for Western artillery—but face ammunition shortages and manpower strains after 1,328 days of conflict. NATO ministers, like Estonia's Margus Tsahkna, applaud the potential shift, arguing Tomahawks would "push Russia back" without restrictions, serving as a deterrent against further terror.
Critics, however, warn of blowback. Kurt Volker, Trump's former Ukraine envoy, attributes the weapons push to Moscow's negotiation boycott, but analysts caution that U.S. target oversight could blunt impact, while capture risks expose sensitive tech. French President Macron, post-call with Zelenskyy, echoed the urgency: "As the Gaza agreement offers hope, the war in Ukraine must end." On social media, reactions range from fervent support—"Trump can stop this war!"—to skepticism, with users decrying endless "rich men's wars."
As Trump lands in Israel today, his dual-track diplomacy—peace in Gaza, pressure in Ukraine—tests the limits of American leverage. Zelenskyy's Nobel overture, while symbolic, underscores Kyiv's desperation for resolution. Yet, with Putin unmoved and winter looming, the Tomahawk threat may prove the fulcrum: a weapon of war, or a tool for its end. For now, Trump reiterated his core desire: "I want to see the war settled." Whether missiles fly or talks resume remains Moscow's call.
