Media: Trump’s Tomahawk hint sparks anxiety in Kremlin and hope in Kyiv

Deliveries of US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine could take months — and might never be used — but their mere presence could still shift dynamics with Moscow, according to a senior Ukrainian security official, quoted by The Telegraph.

The discussion follows US President Donald Trump’s recent comments suggesting he is preparing to approve the transfer of the long-range missiles to Kyiv. “I’ve sort of made a decision,” Trump said, adding that he first wanted to know how Ukraine intended to use them to avoid escalation.

The Tomahawk, with a range of about 1,600 miles and the ability to carry nuclear warheads, would put Moscow within reach. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that supplying such weapons could irreparably damage relations with Washington.

Yehor Cherniev, deputy chairman of Ukraine’s parliamentary committee on national security, defence and intelligence, outlined how the deployment might unfold in stages. Writing in an analysis shared publicly, he said Trump could still reverse course, or approve delivery under strict usage limits.

“At each of these stages, Putin is given the opportunity to retreat and go to negotiations,” Cherniev wrote. “First, they will give us rockets, but a few pieces, or a couple of dozen, but they will not allow us to shoot them at once—we will see the Kremlin’s reaction.” If there is no response, Ukraine could then expand potential targets, gradually increasing pressure.

Ultimately, Cherniev said, full operational freedom could come “only after some time,” excluding strikes directly on the Kremlin or Putin himself. The process, he suggested, could take months but would already constitute “real pressure and a real argument” against Moscow.

While the pace may frustrate Ukrainians facing intensified Russian missile attacks on energy infrastructure as winter nears, Cherniev argued that the symbolic and strategic value of the Tomahawks is immediate.

The Kremlin has responded cautiously. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the open discussion of potential arms deliveries marks a shift from the Biden administration, when such moves were typically disclosed only after the fact. “We understand that we need to wait, probably, for clearer statements, if any come,” he said, calling the possibility of Tomahawk supplies “a serious round of escalation.”

By Tamilla Hasanova