An Open Door and a Closed Fist: The Battle Over Tomahawk Missiles for Ukraine Lands on Trump’s Desk
CNN Reprted: In the high-stakes calculus of war, the long-range Tomahawk missile represents a powerful number. With the ability to strike a target from 1,000 miles away, it is a weapon that could change the map of the conflict in Ukraine.
Now, after months of secret review, the Pentagon has handed President Donald Trump the key to unlock that power.
The US military’s Joint Staff has given the White House a green light, informing officials that providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles would not harm America’s own military readiness, according to three US and European officials familiar with the matter. The final, weighty decision a choice that could reshape the war rests solely with the President.
But in a dramatic display of the conflicting pressures shaping US policy, Trump has so far chosen to keep that key in his pocket, leaving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s repeated public and private pleas unanswered.
The Military’s Green Light
For Ukraine, the Tomahawk is not just another weapon. It is a tool to reach deep into Russian territory, to target the oil refineries and energy facilities that fuel President Vladimir Putin’s war machine. Zelensky has argued that these strikes are essential for Ukraine’s survival.
The Pentagon’s assessment, delivered to the White House earlier this month just before Zelensky’s visit, was clear: the United States has enough Tomahawks in its stockpiles to share without weakening its own defenses.
This news was a relief to European allies, two officials said. They have long believed that the Tomahawks are crucial for Ukraine’s success. With the military’s logistical concerns now addressed, they felt the main political excuse for withholding the missiles had been removed.
The argument seemed to be gaining ground. Just days before meeting Zelensky, Trump himself had noted that the US has “a lot of Tomahawks” that it could potentially give to Ukraine.
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A Sudden and Public Rejection
The hope was short-lived. The atmosphere shifted during a working lunch at the White House.
Sitting beside Zelensky, Trump made his position stunningly public. “We don’t want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country,” he declared in front of reporters, directly contradicting his own military’s assessment.
Behind closed doors, the message was even clearer, officials said: the US would not be providing the Tomahawks, at least not yet.
The reason for this abrupt change, according to a CNN report, was a phone call. Just one day before the lunch, Trump had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In that conversation, Putin delivered a stark warning. He argued that sending Tomahawks which have the range to hit major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg would not change the situation on the battlefield. Instead, he said, it would seriously damage the fragile relationship between the United States and Russia.
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A Decision Deferred, Not Denied
The story of the Tomahawks, however, is not over. Sources tell CNN that Trump has not taken the missiles completely off the table. The administration has ready plans to send them to Ukraine quickly if the President gives the order.
Recent events suggest Trump’s frustration with Putin is growing. In the weeks since the Zelensky meeting, he has approved new US sanctions on Russian oil firms. He also scrapped, for now, a planned meeting with Putin in Budapest to discuss Ukraine a sign that the diplomatic path is rocky.
For now, the Tomahawks remain in America’s arsenal, a symbol of a war’s unrealized potential. The military experts have done their math. The allies have voiced their support. The Ukrainian leader has made his desperate case.
All that remains is the final, solitary decision of an American president, caught between a plea from a defending democracy and a warning from the Kremlin.
Author: Yasir Khan
Date: 01 Nov, 2025
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