Translated with AI
US President Donald Trump stated that Kyiv could receive Tomahawk cruise missiles if Russia refuses to peacefully resolve the war in Ukraine. He made this announcement on the night of Monday, October 13, aboard Air Force One .
According to Trump, the issue of possible long-range weapons deliveries was discussed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on October 11 and 12. The US President warned that such a measure could be seen as "a new step of aggression."
"Maybe I should have talked to the Russians about the Tomahawk. Do they want those missiles flying their way? I don't think so," Trump said. He added that he plans to warn Russian President Vladimir Putin about this possibility. "I can say, 'Look, if this war isn't resolved, I'm going to send them a Tomahawk,'" the American leader emphasized.
Trump clarified that if this decision is implemented, the US would not sell the missiles directly to Ukraine, but to NATO countries, which could then transfer them to Kyiv. "The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive. And frankly, Russia doesn't need it. If this war isn't resolved, we can do it," he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in an interview with Fox News on October 12 that if long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles are supplied to Ukraine, they will be used exclusively to strike military targets and will not be used against Russian civilians. That same day, Zelenskyy had his second conversation with Trump in two days.
According to Axios, the topic of Tomahawk deliveries was also discussed during the presidents' conversation on October 11. Zelensky noted that "Russia is afraid that the Americans might give us Tomahawks," and believes such a signal could contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
According to the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph , at a closed meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York in late September, Zelenskyy asked Trump to transfer Tomahawk missiles with a range of 1,250–2,500 km to Ukraine. Reuters reported that the delivery of these missiles was unlikely, as they were primarily intended for the US Navy, and that shorter-range missiles, such as the ATACMS , were more likely.
Trump himself previously stated that he had "almost made a significant decision" regarding the delivery of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine and intended to clarify how Ukraine would use these weapons. "I would ask certain questions. I'm not going to escalate this war," the American leader noted.
In turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Trump's possible decision to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles "will lead to the destruction of relations between Russia and the United States, at least the emerging positive trend."
