WSJ: Trump drops plan to supply Tomahawks to Ukraine after Putin call

US President Donald Trump reversed his decision to provide Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine after a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in October.

A call held on October 16 “convinced him not to support handovers of Tomahawks to Ukraine,” with Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov later noting that Putin reiterated his view that such missiles would not change the battlefield situation but would cause significant damage to bilateral relations, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports, citing sources.

The call came just before Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s October 17 visit to the White House, when he sought approval for the long-range Tomahawks.

Bloomberg reported that Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff had earlier advised Putin to call Trump ahead of Zelenskyy’s visit and suggested that praising Trump’s role in the Gaza cease-fire could smooth discussions.

Witkoff also discussed with Putin’s aide Ushakov potential Ukrainian concessions in a peace plan, including territory and military limits, highlighting the sensitive negotiations over Donetsk and possible land swaps.

The White House defended Witkoff, describing his discussions with Russian officials as standard diplomatic practice. Trump noted that Witkoff is likely making similar negotiations with Ukrainian officials and called his actions typical of a dealmaker.

Leaked details of the calls prompted criticism from some Republican lawmakers, with Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick calling secret meetings a “major problem” and urging transparency in US foreign policy.

Bloomberg’s report suggested these discussions influenced a 28-point peace plan perceived as favourable to Russia, later narrowed to 19 points for ongoing US-Ukraine negotiations.

The unfolding events have increased pressure on Zelenskyy, who is also dealing with a domestic corruption scandal, limiting his flexibility on politically sensitive concessions.

Separate discussions between Russian officials and US intermediaries, including Kirill Dmitriev, further illustrate the complex high-level communications shaping both military aid decisions and emerging diplomatic proposals regarding Ukraine.

By Jeyhun Aghazada