US develops plan to deliver Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, reports NYT
Photo: Donald Trump, President of the United States (Getty Images)
The US Department of War has developed a plan to sell or transfer long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine if US President Donald Trump gives the green light, The New York Times reports.
The article notes that delivering Tomahawks will involve "enormous challenges," as Ukraine does not have the launchers required to fire these missiles.
To carry out strikes, Kyiv would need the American Typhon launch system, but US military officials believe this would bring them closer to "direct confrontation with Russia." The risk of escalation is underscored by recent threats from the Kremlin amid widespread news about Tomahawks.
The report also mentions that Trump believed Russian leader Vladimir Putin would agree to sit down at the negotiating table solely because of the threat of providing Tomahawks to Ukraine. This step likely reflects the US President's frustration with his Russian counterpart, who refuses to stop the war.
Liana Fix, a fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations, says that the decision to transfer Tomahawks will depend on whether Putin can convince Trump that such a move could "lead to nuclear war."
At the same time, she suggests that supplying the missiles to Kyiv would signal a "coordinated pressure campaign" from Europe aimed at strengthening support for Ukraine, potentially forcing Russia to halt the war.
Tomahawk for Ukraine
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held two consecutive phone calls with Donald Trump.
The main topic of discussion between the two leaders was Tomahawk cruise missiles. After the talks, Zelenskyy noted that Trump had not yet made a final decision on transferring the missiles.
Trump stated that before deciding, he plans to speak with Vladimir Putin and urge him to end the war. If Russia refuses, the US may agree to supply Tomahawks to Ukraine.
According to Stacy Pettyjohn, director of the defense program at the Center for a New American Security think tank, the US could provide Ukraine with only 20 to 50 Tomahawk missiles, which are unlikely to change the course of the war.
Read more about whether the US will deliver missiles to Ukraine and what impact it could have in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
