FT: US to boost Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russia

The US is set to provide Ukraine with new intelligence to support long-range missile and drone strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure, signaling an escalation in Washington’s involvement in the conflict.

The enhanced intelligence will help Kyiv better map Russian air defences and plot strike routes, boosting the effectiveness of its long-range drones and missiles, according to sources familiar with the discussions, according to Financial Times.

President Donald Trump has reportedly instructed agencies to prepare for intelligence sharing, marking “a seismic shift in attitude” within his inner circle, though he remains opposed to using US taxpayer funds to aid Ukraine directly. Instead, he prefers NATO allies to purchase weapons from the US and supply them to Kyiv.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed recent talks with Trump about Tomahawk cruise missiles—long a key item on Kyiv’s wishlist. Trump is considering the idea. Tomahawks have a range of up to 2,500 km, potentially opening new targets deep inside Russia.

A US official expressed skepticism about the impact of such strikes: “I don’t think a limited number of Tomahawks or sporadic deep strikes into Russia will change Putin’s mind.”

“This is a war that never would have happened had President Trump been president, something President Putin himself acknowledged, and President Trump is trying to get it stopped. The president also negotiated a historic agreement to allow Nato allies to purchase American-made weapons. We do not have further announcements at this time," a White House official said.

Zelenskyy described his meeting with Trump as “a very good meeting, a very productive dialogue,” adding, “We will see. Everything will depend on [Trump’s] decision. This is significant.”

Russia’s Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the potential supply of Tomahawks “a quite dangerous symptom that can’t go unnoticed in Moscow,” warning it would be “a new, serious escalation of tensions that would require a worthy response from the Russian side.”

He added, “There is no magic bullet for [Ukraine] . . . No one weapon can totally change the way events are playing out.”

The US has already provided Ukraine with long-range weapons such as Himars and Atacms missiles, approved under then-President Joe Biden, but Kyiv’s stocks are limited and usage rare. British intelligence support also assists Ukraine’s deep strikes into Russia.

Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, said the president had authorised Ukraine to conduct long-range strikes with US-made weapons.

“This is where I think they [the Ukrainians] have the opportunity to challenge Russia much more aggressively,” Kellogg said. “There are no such things as sanctuaries.”

By Sabina Mammadli