US considers sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, WaPo reports

According to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to The Washington Post (WaPo) columnist David Ignatius, US President Donald Trump is considering sending long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, which are capable of striking Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The issue was reportedly discussed at the White House on July 11, but the missiles have not yet been included in the list of weapons to be sent to Kyiv in the near future.

According to the sources, Trump could supply the Ukrainian army with Tomahawk missiles at a later date if he wants to exert more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump to Zelenskyy: Why don’t you strike Moscow?

One of the sources who spoke to WaPo reported that last week, Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy why he was not striking Moscow.

Zelenskyy is said to have replied, “If you give us the weapons, we can strike.” Following this dialogue, Trump reportedly said that to bring Russia to the negotiating table, Kyiv should target not only Moscow but also St. Petersburg.

Tomahawk cruise missiles, with a range of up to 5,500 kilometers, can fly at very low altitudes by following the terrain.

The longest-range weapon the US has provided to Ukraine to date was the ATACMS missile, with a range of 300 kilometers. Washington had restricted the use of these missiles to military targets in Russian regions near the Ukrainian border.

‘Escalate to de-escalate’ strategy

A source familiar with the discussions at the White House reported that Trump has hardened his stance on Russia for several reasons. According to this source, Trump first considered Putin’s disregard for his ceasefire call as a sign of disrespect.

Second, he was impressed by the effectiveness of the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities using B-2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles.

Additionally, it was noted that Trump believes Putin will only agree to negotiations “under the threat of a greater power” and has therefore turned to an “escalate to de-escalate” strategy.

50-day peace ultimatum and 100% tariff threat

In a statement on July 14, Trump promised to begin arms shipments to Kyiv, funded by European allies.

He also threatened to impose “very heavy” 100% tariffs on Russia and its trading partners if peace is not achieved in Ukraine within 50 days.

According to a report by Axios, the first weapons package, valued at $10 billion, will include missiles, air defense systems, and artillery shells for Kyiv.

According to Military Watch Magazine, Ukraine could also be supplied with air-launched JASSM cruise missiles, which have a range of 370 to 1,800 kilometers depending on the modification.