Could Ukraine Receive Tomahawk Missiles? U.S. Debate Intensifies

U.S. Vice President JD Vance confirmed on Fox News that the Trump administration is seriously considering selling BGM-109 Tomahawk land-based cruise missiles to Europe, with the possibility of their transfer to Ukraine. He emphasized, however, that the “final decision” rests with President Donald Trump.

Kellogg: Trump Not Opposed to Long-Range Strikes

Trump’s special envoy, Keith Kellogg, told Fox News that the president is not opposed to Ukraine striking deep into Russian territory.

“I think reading what he has said, and reading what Vice President Vance has said, as well as Secretary Rubio, the answer is yes. Use the ability to hit deep,” Kellogg said.

Still, he acknowledged that no final decision has been made regarding Kyiv’s request for Tomahawk missiles.

Kremlin Reaction to U.S. Statements

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the Kremlin is aware of Vance’s comments and is “carefully analyzing” them. He noted that Russia’s military experts are closely monitoring whether Tomahawks would be operated by Ukrainians or U.S. personnel, and who would provide targeting. “This is the key issue,” Peskov stressed.

Practical Obstacles to Tomahawk Transfers

While Tomahawks vastly outperform weapons already supplied to Ukraine in range — up to 1,500 miles (2,500 km) — Army Recognition highlighted major challenges. Ukraine lacks the naval launch platforms required for Tomahawk deployment. Turkish-built Ada-class corvettes for Ukraine do not include Mk41 vertical launch systems necessary for these missiles. Retrofitting them would be technically complex and politically sensitive.

Another theoretical option is the land-based Typhon system, designed for the Indo-Pacific. However, redeploying Typhon to Ukraine would be logistically difficult, requiring long training cycles, specialized storage, and an advanced command system.

Zelensky’s Requests and U.S. Hesitation

The Wall Street Journal reported that President Volodymyr Zelensky personally requested Tomahawk missiles during his visit to New York. Outlets including Axios noted Kyiv has repeatedly asked for Tomahawks over the past year but has been denied each time.

Putin’s Warning on NATO Involvement

President Vladimir Putin has warned that allowing Ukraine to strike Russia with long-range Western weapons would mean that “NATO countries are at war with us.” The Kremlin called the potential removal of restrictions on strike range a “dangerous” decision that runs counter to efforts at de-escalation.

“The lifting of restrictions on long-range strikes is a dangerous move that undermines all efforts to resolve the conflict peacefully,” the Kremlin stated.

The BGM-109 Tomahawk () Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is an American long-range, all-weather, jet-powered, subsonic cruise missile that is used by the United States Navy, Royal Australian Navy and Royal Navy in ship and submarine-based land-attack operations. Developed at the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University under James H. Walker near Laurel, Maryland, the Tomahawk emerged in the 1970s as a modular cruise missile first manufactured by General Dynamics. The Tomahawk aimed to fulfill the need for a medium- to long-range, low-altitude missile with diverse capabilities. Its modular design allows for compatibility with a range of warheads, including high-explosive, submunitions, and bunker-busters. The Tomahawk can use a variety of guidance systems, including GPS, inertial navigation, and terrain contour matching. Over a dozen variants and upgraded versions have been developed since the original design, including air-, sub-, and ground-launched configurations with both conventional and nuclear armaments. The Tomahawk's manufacturing history has seen several transitions. General Dynamics served as the sole supplier in the 1970s. From 1992 until 1994, McDonnell Douglas was the sole supplier of Tomahawks, producing Block II and Block III versions and remanufacturing many Tomahawks to Block III specifications. In 1994, Hughes Aircraft, having purchased General Dynamics' missile division in 1992, outbid McDonnell Douglas to become the sole supplier of Tomahawks. A joint venture between Hughes and Raytheon manufactured the missile from 1995 until Raytheon's acquisition of Hughes in 1997, solidifying their position as the sole supplier. In 2016, the US Department of Defense purchased 149 Tomahawk Block IV missiles for $202.3 million. As of 2024, Raytheon remains the sole manufacturer of non-nuclear, sea-launched Tomahawk variants.

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