Ukraine’s US envoy reports progress in negotiations on long-range weapons

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, has said that Kyiv is holding “positive” discussions with Washington about purchasing Tomahawk missiles and other long-range weapons, despite President Donald Trump’s reluctance to approve their transfer.

“The discussion is still ongoing, but we have many delegations working to increase available financial resources to procure more military capabilities from the US,” Stefanishyna told Bloomberg TV’s Balance of Power. “It’s not only Tomahawks but also other types of long-range and short-range missiles, and I can only say that the talks are rather positive,” she added.

Stefanishyna, who previously served as a lawyer and led Ukraine’s efforts toward European and Euro-Atlantic integration, assumed her role as ambassador in Washington just over two months ago. One of her primary goals has been to repair relations with President Trump, who has at times criticised President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and previously referred to him as a “dictator.”

Relations between Kyiv and Washington have improved in recent months following a tense Oval Office meeting earlier this year in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance reportedly berated Zelenskyy. In a sign of shifting attitudes, Trump last month imposed sanctions on Russian oil giants Rosneft PJSC and Lukoil PJSC, citing their “lack of serious commitment” to the peace process.

Zelenskyy’s current push centres on acquiring Tomahawks and other long-range missile systems that would enable Ukraine to strike targets deep inside Russian territory. However, Trump has maintained that such weapons would only be effective if launched directly by the US, and that Washington has no intention of doing so.

Commenting on the recent wave of Russian attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Stefanishyna described the situation as “a very tough period for Ukraine.” She said efforts were underway to strengthen the country’s air-defence network, noting, “We can survive this winter and another winter, but it does not mean that it is right.”

She warned that any failure by the international community to exert sufficient pressure on Moscow “will be seen as giving Russia a green light to scale up its capabilities.”

By Tamilla Hasanova