U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States will not provide Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, arguing that the long-range systems are too complex to operate without extensive U.S. training.
Speaking during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump said, “The problem with the Tomahawk is – a lot of people don’t know – it’ll take a minimum of six months, usually a year, to learn how to use.” He added, “The only way a Tomahawk is going to be shot is if we shot it. And we’re not going to do that.”
Trump described the Tomahawk as a “highly complex” weapon with a “tremendous learning curve,” suggesting he would not authorize U.S. forces to train foreign militaries on its use. “It takes a year of intense training to learn how to use it, and we know how to use it, and we’re not going to be teaching other people,” he said.
The U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missile has a range exceeding 1,500 miles, capable of striking military and energy infrastructure deep inside Russian territory. Analysts note that such capability could significantly alter the balance of the conflict, now in its 32nd month.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly requested the missiles, most recently during a White House meeting on October 17. According to reports, Trump’s position hardened after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin the previous day.
Earlier this week, Zelensky said the missiles should be viewed as a “major investment in diplomacy,” adding that Russia’s interest in peace talks “faded” once it became clear the U.S. would not provide long-range strike systems. “This signals that deep strike capabilities may hold the key to peace,” he wrote on X.
When asked whether he still believed Putin wanted to end the war, Trump replied that “both want peace” after “almost four years” of conflict, but added, “I always felt he wanted the full thing, not a piece of it. But I think now he’s willing to negotiate a little bit further. And I think he’s willing to make a deal. We’ll see. We don’t want him to have the whole thing.”
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the U.S. currently possesses more than 1,000 Tomahawk missiles, though experts estimate that Washington would be unlikely to send more than 50 to Ukraine even under favorable conditions.
