Kyiv [Ukraine], September 27: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reportedly asked US President Donald Trump to provide Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv and Washington is considering it.
At a meeting with President Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23, President Zelensky asked the US to provide Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine , according to Axios .
In an interview with Axios a day later, published on September 26, Mr. Zelensky said he had asked the United States to provide more weapons to Ukraine to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table without Kyiv using those weapons.
Mr. Zelensky did not directly mention the Tomahawk missile, but said that if Russia knew Ukraine had such a weapon, the pressure on Moscow to talk would increase significantly. A senior Ukrainian official and a source told Axios that it was a Tomahawk missile.
Senior US and European officials briefed on the plan said the US administration is considering sending Tomahawks and other long-range weapons to Ukraine, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The White House has not commented on the above information.
Senior US and European officials briefed on the plan said the US administration is considering sending Tomahawks and other long-range weapons to Ukraine, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The White House has not commented on the above information.
Providing Tomahawks would be a major escalation as it could put Moscow within range. Moreover, the US Tomahawk missile stock is said to be relatively limited and would take months to replenish.
Also at the meeting on September 23, Mr. Zelensky asked Mr. Trump to allow the use of long-range missiles to attack targets inside Russian territory. According to The Wall Street Journal , Mr. Trump did not oppose this idea, but US and Ukrainian officials said the White House owner did not make a specific commitment.
The leader has recently expressed dissatisfaction with Russia and repeatedly criticized its economy and military strength. At the same time, he assessed that Ukraine could take back its territory and declared that he would continue to supply weapons to NATO so that they "can do what they want with them".
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
