US to announce major new arms package for Ukraine on Oct. 15

The United States will make a major announcement on October 15 regarding new arms supplies to Ukraine, US Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker said at a news conference, according to Russian media.

Whitaker urged southern European nations to take a more active role in supporting Ukraine militarily, particularly through NATO’s special PURL program, which enables European countries to purchase American weapons using their own funds.

“President Trump has provided Ukraine with the best weapons in the world — it needs them, it craves them,” Whitaker said. “This program is vital to getting Russia to the negotiating table, and I would urge those who have not yet participated to do so.”

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump said he had “almost made a decision” to supply Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv. “I might say [to Russian President Vladimir Putin], look, if this war can’t be resolved, I’m going to send them Tomahawk missiles,” Trump stated.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that such deliveries could seriously harm relations between Moscow and Washington, noting that they would jeopardise “the emerging positive trends” in bilateral ties. However, Putin downplayed their potential military impact, saying, “We will shoot them down, we will improve our air defence system.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that, if Ukraine receives Tomahawk missiles, they will be used exclusively against military targets. While he did not mention energy facilities as potential targets, Zelenskyy explained: “The Russians sell energy resources, get money, invest it in the military sphere. For us, these are military targets.”

Tomahawk missiles are long-range, multi-purpose cruise missiles designed to strike command centres, radar installations, air defence batteries, airfields, and other strategic sites. They have a range of up to 2,500 kilometres and can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads. However, nuclear versions have been decommissioned under disarmament agreements.

By Tamilla Hasanova