'I want to find out what they're doing with them' — Trump mulls sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine
Editor's note: The story was updated with additional details.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Oct. 6 that he has "sort of made a decision" on whether to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk long-range missiles.
"I think I want to find out what they're doing with them, where they're sending them, I guess. I have to ask that question," Trump mused to reporters in the Oval Office.
The missiles, which were requested by Kyiv, would serve as a significant boost for Ukraine’s arsenal, which largely relies on drones for long-range strikes. Kyiv has previously said the weapons would enable strikes on command centers and supply hubs deep inside Russia.
As questions surround a decision on the weapons' shipment, Trump also told reporters that he was not "looking to see escalation."
Amid the U.S. indecision, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Oct. 5 that the "positive" trend in relations between Russia and the U.S. would be destroyed if Washington sent Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.
"The supply of long-range missile systems, including Tomahawks, to Ukraine will lead to the destruction of the emerging positive trends in relations between Russia and the United States," Putin told Russian TV propagandist Pavel Zarubin.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance confirmed on Sept. 28 that the U.S. was "looking at" providing Kyiv with Tomahawk missiles, which have an operational range between 1,600 and 2,500 kilometers.
"It's something the president is going to make the final determination on. What the president is going to do is what's in the best interest for the United States of America," Vance told Fox News in an interview.
Trump did not directly specify what possible "decision" he has come to regarding the shipments.
An undisclosed source close to the Ukrainain government told Axios that Trump administration officials are concerned that the U.S. would be unable to control how Ukraine uses the missiles after they are paid for and supplied by NATO countries.
Reuters reported on Oct. 2, citing an unnamed U.S. official and three other sources familiar with the discussions, that Trump is unlikely to provide Ukraine with the missiles.
Officials told Reuters that Washington is more likely to provide shorter-range systems or let European allies buy long-range weapons for Ukraine.
The Tomahawk, a key part of the U.S. arsenal, can fly at low altitudes, perform evasive maneuvers, and be reprogrammed mid-flight.
Ukraine currently relies on Western-supplied Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of 250 kilometers (155 miles), far shorter than Tomahawks.
Russia maintains a significant missile advantage, regularly striking Ukrainian cities with Kalibr cruise missiles and Iskander ballistic missiles.
The discussion about Tomahawks comes as Trump's administration starts supplying weapons to Kyiv through a NATO-supported agreement.
The first aid package, approved Sept. 16, included Patriot and HIMARS missiles.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
