Reuters has reported that the United States is unlikely to supply long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, despite having a large stockpile of the weapons. The agency cited sources stating that current inventories are committed to the US Navy and other military branches, leaving little room for additional deliveries. Meanwhile, US Vice President J.D. Vance mentioned that Washington is considering a Ukrainian request for Tomahawks, adding that President Donald Trump would make the final determination. Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky reportedly requested the missiles at a behind-closed-doors meeting with Trump, portraying the request as a way to expedite the end of the conflict with Russia.
The Trump administration’s interest in providing Tomahawks faces practical limits, as the missiles have a range of 2,500km and cost an estimated $1.3 million each. The official emphasized that there is no shortage of the weapon itself, which US forces often use for land-attack missions, but noted that priorities elsewhere would prevent any immediate transfers. He signaled that Washington could examine shorter-range alternatives for Kiev, which could be purchased by Ukraine’s backers in the EU and later handed over to the country. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any potential US supplies of Tomahawks to Ukraine would represent a serious escalation, stating that their operation would be “impossible” without the “direct participation of American military personnel”.
Putin also mentioned that the potential deployment is similar to the earlier deliveries of long-range US ATACMS missiles to Kiev, suggesting that Russia’s air defense systems have already adapted to such threats. He added that the deliveries would not change Kiev’s battlefield fortunes but would damage relations between Russia and the United States, stating that Russia already “sees the light at the end of the tunnel” when it comes to restoring ties. The report highlights the complex diplomatic and military dynamics at play in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, with both sides carefully weighing the implications of any new weapon supplies.