US President Donald Trump has suggested he may authorize the transfer of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine — a move that would mark a major escalation in Western military support for Kyiv.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump was asked whether he planned to send the missiles, which can strike targets up to 2,500 kilometers (1,500 miles) away. “We’ll see… I may,” he replied. The president added that such a step would represent “a new level of aggression” in Ukraine’s war with Russia.
Push for stronger Ukrainian defences
The remarks came after a weekend phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been urging Washington to boost Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities. Zelensky confirmed he would travel to Washington on Friday for talks focused on air defence and long-range weapons.
Trump also confirmed he intends to host Zelensky at the White House, marking the Ukrainian leader’s third visit since January. “I think so, yeah,” Trump said during a brief refueling stop on his way back from the Middle East.
Moscow issues new warning
The Kremlin reacted sharply to Trump’s comments. Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, called the prospect of sending Tomahawks to Ukraine “an issue of extreme concern.” He warned that tensions were “escalating from all sides.”
Peskov noted that if such missiles were launched at Russia, Moscow would have no way of knowing whether they carried conventional or nuclear warheads. “What should the Russian Federation think? Just how should Russia react?” he asked.
His remarks echoed — and intensified — earlier Russian warnings against any Western delivery of long-range weaponry to Kyiv.
Former President Dmitry Medvedev, now a prominent hawk in Russian politics, went further, warning on social media that such a move “could end badly for everyone — and first of all, for Trump himself.”
A shift in Trump’s stance on Moscow
Trump’s tone toward Russia has hardened in recent months amid growing frustration with Putin’s unwillingness to pursue a ceasefire. “If the war is not settled, we may very well [send Tomahawks to Kyiv] — we may not, but we may do it,” Trump said. “Do they want Tomahawks going in their direction? I don’t think so.”
The exchange marks another flare-up in the already volatile relationship between Washington and Moscow. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has repeatedly asked for long-range missile systems to target Russian infrastructure far behind the front lines.
