Trump considers giving Ukraine Tomahawks for potential strikes on Moscow and St. Petersburg - WP
Photo: Donald Trump (Getty Images)
President Donald Trump is considering sending Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. A decision may come later, Washington Post (WP) journalist David Ignatius reports.
Trump has threatened to impose "severe tariffs" on Russia if it doesn't agree to peace within 50 days. The US leader also promised to provide Patriot missiles, air defense systems, and artillery. These would be sold to NATO countries, which would then transfer them to Ukraine. The total military aid package amounts to $10 billion, according to a source familiar with the deal, cited by the journalist.
Trump did not mention that the military aid might also include authorization to use new, powerful offensive weapons. A source involved in the decision-making said this will likely include permission to use 18 long-range ATACMS missiles, currently in Ukraine, at their full range of 300 kilometers.
These missiles won't reach Moscow or St. Petersburg, but they could strike military bases, airfields, and supply depots deep inside Russia that are currently out of reach. The package may also include additional ATACMS missiles.
Trump also considered sending Tomahawk cruise missiles - the same weapons that were launched at Iranian targets last month.
If launched from Ukrainian territory, Tomahawks could reach Moscow and St. Petersburg, and this was under discussion as recently as Friday. "But the Tomahawks are off the delivery list for now, I'm told. They could be deployed later if Trump wants even more leverage," Ignatius writes.
Trump's determination to pressure Putin became apparent during a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, according to the journalist's source. Trump asked Zelenskyy why he hadn't struck Moscow. "We can, if you give us the weapons," Zelenskyy replied.
Trump stated that Ukraine needs to ramp up pressure on Putin - not only on Moscow, but also on St. Petersburg, the Washington Post (WP) author writes.
Trump's changing approach
At first, Trump believed it would be easy to persuade his friend Vladimir Putin to end the war, he explained on Monday. "I felt we had a deal about four times." But eventually, he realized the only way to force Putin into peace was to significantly raise the cost of continuing the conflict.
"I don't want to say he's an assassin, but he's a tough guy," Trump said during a meeting in the Oval Office with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
According to a source familiar with discussions inside the administration, Trump decided to escalate the situation for three reasons. First, he felt that Putin was disrespecting him - pretending to be ready for peace while ignoring the US President's call for a ceasefire.
Second, the US President was impressed by the effectiveness of American military power, as demonstrated by the recent use of B-2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles against Iran.
And third, he believed that Putin would only come to the negotiating table under the threat of greater force. "As the Russians like to say, Trump decided to 'escalate to de-escalate'," the author notes.
As previously reported, US President Donald Trump recently said he is disappointed with Vladimir Putin and gave him 50 days to continue the war against Ukraine. If peace is not achieved within that time, new sanctions will be imposed on Russia.
Trump also announced the transfer of additional Patriot missile systems to Ukraine.
