A Tomahawk rocket is launched from the American Destroyer Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), during a real -fire demonstration in the Filipi Sea, May 27, 2019. Photo source: Abaca / Abaca Press / Profimedia
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he could provide Tomahawk missiles, which could be used by Kiev if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not end the Ukraine, Reuters reported.
Trump told reporters aboard the aircraft Air Force One, while flying to Israel, that he and Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski discussed his request to receive an armament, including with a long range. The two leaders spoke by telephone on Saturday and Sunday.
Tomahawk rockets have a range of 2,500 km, large enough to hit deep inside Russia, including in Moscow.
The Kremlin warned against any supply of Tomahawk rocket to Ukraine, and Trump said on Sunday that they would represent “a new step of aggression” if they were introduced into the war.
“Do they want to have Tomahawk missiles in their direction?”
The United States would not sell rockets directly to Ukraine, but would provide NATO, which can then offer Ukrainians, Trump said. “Yes, I might say (Putin, no) that if the war is not solved, we could very well do it,” he said. “Maybe not, but we might do it … they want to have Tomahawk missiles in their direction? I don't believe.”
Zelenski has previously said that Ukraine will use Tomahawk missiles only for military purposes and will not attack civilians in Russia, if the US would provide them.
“I have never attacked their civilians. This is the big difference between Ukraine and Russia,” the Ukrainian leader said at the “Sunday Briefing” show at Fox News. “Therefore, if we talk about (missiles) with long range, we only talk about military goals.”
Zelenski's statements, recorded on Saturday, were broadcast on Sunday after his second discussion in so many days with US President Donald Trump. The Ukrainian leader said the possibility of Washington is still discussed to provide long -range missiles to Kiev.
Trump said last week that, before accepting to provide Tomahawk missiles, he wants to know how Ukraine will use them because he does not want to escalate the war between Russia and Ukraine. Zelenski said he was still working to persuade Trump to approve a missile agreement.
Pressure on Moscow
“We count on such decisions, but we will see,” Zelenski said.
Putin said at the beginning of this month that it is impossible to use Tomahawk missiles without the direct participation of the American military personnel and, therefore, any provision of such missiles to Ukraine would trigger a “new qualitative escalation.”
However, Zelenski, in a speech held on Sunday evening in Ukraine, said he sees Russia's concerns for a reason to move on.
“We see and hear that Russia is afraid that Americans could give us Tomahawk missiles-that this type of pressure could work for peace,” Zelenski said.
