US President Donald Trump is moving closer to a historic decision to supply Kiev with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, which Western officials say was largely prompted by Russia’s recent devastating attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, Focus writes.
The move is strategically calculated not only to bolster Ukraine’s defenses but also to force hesitant European allies, notably Germany over Taurus missiles, to “follow suit”, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to the Kyiv Post on Monday.
The potential delivery of the 1,550-mile-range weapon, which is emblematic of the US Navy, marks a significant shift in US policy that Trump sees as a necessary catalyst to end European hesitation.
This pressure is already leading to public diplomatic action, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announcing on Monday that he would speak with Trump about "our joint efforts to help end the war in Ukraine".
The culmination of this strategic maneuver will be a high-stakes meeting in Washington. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Trump at the White House on Friday as part of a trip focused on securing key opportunities.
Trump’s latest signals show growing frustration with Russia’s refusal to engage in peace talks, leading to a potential shift in attitude toward long-range weapons that Moscow has previously warned would destroy bilateral relations.
Highlighting the possibility, Trump mused about the prospect: "Maybe I’ll tell Russia, "Look, if this war isn’t resolved, I’ll send them a Tomahawk."
He continued: "The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, a very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia shouldn’t [see] this.“
The threat itself is designed to put enormous pressure on both Moscow and hesitant Western partners, the media outlet reported.
Zelensky announced his upcoming visit to Washington on social media, saying the main focus would be "air defense and our long-term capabilities aimed at putting pressure on Russia in the name of peace”.
He confirmed that his delegation, which included the prime minister and senior defense and security officials, had already departed and that he would meet with representatives of defense and energy companies.
With an eye on strategic defense cooperation
Zelensky’s visit will also explore Ukraine’s potential role in the U.S. missile defense strategy, another source said.
This connection is part of Trump's vision for the missile defense initiative "Golden Dome for America" - a program designed to modernize US defenses against all types of aerial threats, including hypersonic missiles, amid growing threats from nuclear adversaries such as Russia, China and North Korea.
The connection to US defense programs suggests that the decision on Tomahawk is not just about foreign aid, but about integrating Ukraine's military struggle into a broader, forward-looking US security strategy, the sources explained to the media.