US President Donald Trump is contemplating sending Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, saying it might present “a brand new step of aggression” in its struggle with Russia.
When requested on Air Pressure One if he would ship Tomahawks to Ukraine, Trump replied “we’ll see… I could”.
It follows a second telephone name on the weekend between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who pushed for stronger army capabilities to launch counter-attacks in opposition to Russia.
Moscow has beforehand warned Washington in opposition to offering long-range missiles to Kyiv, saying it might trigger a serious escalation within the battle and pressure US-Russian relations.
Tomahawk missiles have a spread of two,500 km (1,500 miles), which might put Moscow inside attain for Ukraine.
Trump spoke to reporters as he flew to Israel. He stated he might converse to Russia concerning the Tomahawks requested by Ukraine.
“I’d inform them [Russia] that if the struggle will not be settled, that we could very nicely, we could not, however we could do it.”
“Do they [Russia] need Tomahawks going of their route? I do not suppose so,” the president stated.
Kyiv has made a number of requests for long-range missiles, because it weighs up hanging Russian cities removed from the entrance traces of the grinding battle.
Of their telephone calls Zelensky and Trump mentioned Ukraine’s bid to strengthen its army capabilities, together with boosting its air defences and long-range arms.
Ukrainian cities together with Kyiv have come underneath repeated heavy Russian bombardment with drones and missiles. Russia has significantly focused Ukraine’s power infrastructure, inflicting energy cuts.
Final month, Trump’s particular envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg suggested the US president had authorised strikes deep into Russian territory, telling Fox Information “there aren’t any things like sanctuaries” from assaults within the Russia-Ukraine struggle.
Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, downplayed the probabilities of Tomahawks altering the course of the struggle.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated final month: “Whether or not it is Tomahawks or different missiles, they will not be capable of change the dynamic.”
