The Pentagon has approved the possibility of transferring long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, concluding that it would not harm American stockpiles. However, the final decision will be up to President Donald Trump, CNN reports , citing three American and European officials familiar with the matter.
It is noted that the Joint Chiefs of Staff informed the White House of its assessment in early October, shortly before Trump’s meeting with Zelensky, who plans to use Tomahawks to strike oil and energy facilities deep inside Russia.
The US’s European allies welcomed the Pentagon’s decision, believing that Washington now has fewer reasons to refuse to transfer these weapons.
However, one of the unresolved issues is how Ukraine would launch these missiles if the US provided them. Tomahawks are usually launched from ships or submarines, but the Ukrainian fleet is now significantly weakened. The option of using land-based mobile launchers, such as the Typhon , is being considered.
According to CNN, some European officials emphasize that Ukrainian engineers were previously able to adapt British Storm Shadow missiles for Soviet fighters, which indicates the possibility of finding a technical solution for the Tomahawk as well.
Tomahawks are American subsonic cruise missiles with a range of over 1,600 km, developed by Raytheon. They are equipped with a 450 kg warhead and are designed for precision strikes on ground targets such as command centers, military facilities, and infrastructure.
