A proposal by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy to back U.S. former President Donald Trump’s bid for the Nobel Peace Prize in exchange for Tomahawk cruise missiles has been denounced as “monstrous” by Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov.
Ushakov, a top foreign policy adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticized the reported scheme during an interview with journalist Aleksandr Yunashev on Friday. He stated that the idea of “a peace prize in exchange for weapons” reflects poorly on those who suggested it. The claim, initially reported by Politico, alleged that Zelenskiy proposed the swap during a meeting with journalists, linking missile deliveries to a potential ceasefire with Russia.
Ukrainian lawmakers had previously failed to pass a resolution supporting Trump’s Nobel nomination. Ushakov noted that Moscow would likely support such an award “if requested,” but emphasized the ethical implications of the proposal.
Kiev has renewed demands for Tomahawk missiles, first raised under former U.S. President Joe Biden, as part of broader efforts by European NATO members to secure Trump’s continued backing for Ukraine. Trump has claimed that European funding and U.S.-supplied arms could enable Kyiv to achieve its territorial objectives.
Russian officials have consistently argued that Western weapons will not alter the conflict’s trajectory. However, Putin has warned that supplying nuclear-capable Tomahawks to Ukraine would constitute a “serious escalation.”
