Trump Signals Tomahawk Option for Ukraine as Leverage Against Putin
- Trump frames Tomahawk missiles as leverage to force a settlement with Russia.
- He emphasizes arming Ukraine while keeping U.S. defenses intact.
- Trump says he might talk to Putin before any decision is made.
- Zelenskyy and Trump agree to keep talking and prepare for stronger air defense.
President Donald Trump told reporters he may send Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to settle the war, calling the weapon “incredible” and “very offensive.” He described the Tomahawk as a serious step that could change Moscow’s calculations and said the move would be used as leverage to push for a settlement. That blunt, no-nonsense posture is classic Republican foreign policy: strong defense and tough negotiation.
Trump said he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday morning after Zelenskyy asked about more weapons for the fight. He made the point that the U.S. sells and sends weapons to NATO, contrasting that with what he called the Biden administration’s large aid bills.
“We gave him nothing, but we gave them respect and some other things,” Trump said, explaining his approach to rebuilding ties and bargaining power. He stressed the need to provide Ukraine with critical systems while safeguarding U.S. stockpiles. “They need Patriots very badly. They’d like to have Tomahawks. That’s a step up,” Trump said. “We talked about that, so we’ll see.”
Before committing to Tomahawks, Trump said he might speak with Putin to see whether Moscow wants missiles headed its way or could be pushed toward peace. “I don’t think so,” Trump said. “I might speak to Russia about that, in all fairness. I told that to President Zelenskyy because Tomahawks are a new step of aggression.”
On the possibility of a direct warning to Putin, Trump said he might have to tell him, “if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks.” That line makes clear the strategy: use credible military options to force diplomacy.
“The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, a very offensive weapon, and honestly, Russia does not need that,” Trump said. “I may tell him that if the war is not settled, we may very well. We may not, but we may do it. I think it’s appropriate to bring up.” He added plainly, “I want to see the war settled.”
Zelenskyy wrote on X that their call “covered all the aspects of the situation,” and included defense, resilience, and long-range capability planning. He noted they discussed the energy sector and “many details,” and praised Trump: “President Trump is well informed about everything that is happening.” “We agreed to continue our dialogue, and our teams are doing their preparations.”
Moscow keeps striking Ukraine’s infrastructure ahead of winter, wounding civilians and targeting power grids, while expressing “extreme concern” about possible Tomahawks. Trump is positioning the U.S. to support Ukraine more robustly but on terms that preserve American strength and create diplomatic leverage. Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
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