Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Russia that he may consider supplying potent armaments if Vladimir Putin does not cease the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The president shared this latest warning to Russia during a conversation with reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, October 12, still processing the disappointment of not winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump has previously expressed that he believes he deserved the accolade for ending what he described as ‘six wars.’ However, missing out on the prize has not deterred him from pursuing the resolution of yet another conflict.
As hostilities from Russia persist, Trump cautioned that he might strengthen Ukraine’s military capabilities with the provision of Tomahawks, a type of American missile that can be launched from various platforms such as the ground, naval vessels, or submarines.
These missiles have the capability to hit targets with precision from distances exceeding 1,000 miles, making them a potential threat to areas as far as Moscow.
Sharing his approach to resolving the conflict, Trump stated, “I might say, ‘Look: if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks’. The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that.
“I might tell them that if the war is not settled – that we may very well. We may not, but we may do it. I think it’s appropriate to bring up.”
The president further mentioned that he had discussed the possibility of sending Tomahawks to Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This was corroborated when Zelenskyy, during an appearance on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing, acknowledged his discussions with Trump regarding the approval of Tomahawks.
The Ukrainian president remarked, “We work on it. I’m waiting for president to yes. Of course we count on such decisions, but we will see. We will see.”
Aboard Air Force One, Trump elaborated on how this threat might prompt Russia to halt the conflict.
“Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I don’t think so,” Trump said. “I think I might speak to Russia about that. Tomahawks are a new step of aggression.”
Despite the fact that Putin initiated the aggression against Ukraine, Trump commented that the Russian leader would present a favorable image if he successfully negotiated an end to the war, adding that failure to do so ‘it’s not going to be good for him’.
Following Trump’s remarks, Moscow expressed significant concern over the prospect of Ukraine acquiring Tomahawk missiles. Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov stated, “The topic of Tomahawks is of extreme concern.”