President Donald Trump is flexing new leverage in the war in Ukraine, authorizing strikes deeper into Russian territory, weighing whether to provide Kyiv with Tomahawk cruise missiles. (Rick Scuteri/AP)
The U.S.-made Tomahawk has a range of about 1,500 miles, meaning Kyiv could theoretically target Moscow if Trump approves the transfer. Russia quickly issued warnings, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov questioning whether Ukrainians could operate such systems without American assistance.
"Who can launch these missiles, even if they end up on the territory of the Kyiv regime?" Peskov asked. "Can they be launched only by Ukrainians, or must it still be done by American personnel? Who provides the targeting? A very deep analysis is needed here."
He dismissed the weapons as strategically meaningless. "There is no panacea that can change the situation on the fronts. There are no magic weapons, whether Tomahawk or others, that can alter the dynamics," Peskov said.
Still, Trump’s stance marks one of his most striking reversals. Last week, he suggested Ukraine could not only hold its ground but also return to its original borders, calling that "very much an option," while urging NATO nations to shoot down Russian drones and jets that cross into their airspace.
He added that Russia has been "fighting aimlessly for three and a half years in a war that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. This is not distinguishing Russia."
BALTIC LEADERS RIP UN SECURITY COUNCIL AS POWERLESS WHILE RUSSIA HOLDS VETO SEAT
After meeting in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, Trump has grown frustrated as the war drags on. ((Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP))
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"Inexcusably, even NATO countries have not cut off much Russian energy and Russian energy products," Trump told the United Nations General Assembly. "China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil."
The president has already imposed a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods, citing New Delhi’s reliance on Russian fuel. Officials suggest additional measures are under consideration if India and China do not curb their energy ties with Moscow.
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