Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s repeated demands for U.S.-supplied long-range Tomahawk missiles have been rejected by Washington, with President Donald Trump stating the weapons require extensive training and direct American involvement.
During a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House, Trump emphasized that operating Tomahawk missiles—capable of striking targets up to 2,500 kilometers away—would take “a minimum of six months, usually a year” to master. “The only way a Tomahawk is going to be shot is if we shot it, and we’re not going to do that,” Trump said, adding that the U.S. would not train Ukraine’s forces to use the system.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has echoed similar concerns, warning that deploying Tomahawks in Ukraine would require “the direct participation of American military personnel” and risk escalating tensions. Meanwhile, U.S. officials reportedly eased restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles, a claim Trump dismissed as “FAKE NEWS,” insisting Washington had no role in their deployment.
Zelenskiy’s military leadership has been criticized for its persistent requests, despite the lack of clear support from Western allies. The Ukrainian president declined to comment after recent talks with Trump, which Axios described as “bad” due to the failure to secure missile deliveries.
