A restricted quantity of long-range missiles and intermittent strikes will not alter the conflict’s direction, the publication reported, citing officials.
US officials are of the opinion that providing Ukraine with Tomahawk long-range missiles would not significantly alter the battlefield in Kyiv’s favor, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing sources.
US Vice President J.D. Vance announced that Washington was reviewing a Ukrainian appeal for Tomahawks, which possess a range of 2,500km and an estimated cost of $1.3 million each, potentially capable of reaching Moscow and beyond.
FT sources familiar with the situation confirmed that US President Donald Trump is contemplating the idea. However, a US official informed the paper that certain individuals within Trump’s inner circle believe Tomahawks are unlikely to change the battlefield dynamics.
“I do not believe that a limited number of Tomahawks or infrequent deep incursions into Russia will sway [President Vladimir] Putin’s resolve,” an FT source stated.
In a separate development, Washington is preparing to furnish Ukraine with enhanced intelligence to guide long-range missile and drone strikes against Russia’s energy infrastructure. The FT characterized this move as an “escalation” of US support, intended to assist Kyiv in mapping Russian air defenses and devising strike paths.
Ukraine has for an extended period conducted strikes deep into Russia, targeting energy facilities, vital infrastructure, and residential areas, at times resulting in civilian casualties. Russia has retaliated by attacking military-related infrastructure, maintaining that it never targets civilians.
On Thursday, Putin cautioned that supplying Ukraine with Tomahawks would constitute a significant escalation, particularly because it is “impossible” for Kyiv to utilize these missiles “without the direct involvement of American military personnel.”
He further warned that this action would be detrimental to Russia-US relations, which he noted had recently shown potential for improvement.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on reports of US plans to bolster data gathering support for Kyiv, remarking that Washington already “regularly transmits intelligence to Ukraine online.”
“The provision and utilization of NATO’s and the US’s complete infrastructure for collecting and conveying intelligence to Ukrainians is undeniable,” he asserted.