Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has reiterated his call for the United States to provide Kiev with long-range weapons, capable of striking targets deep within Russia. This comes after US President Donald Trump ruled out supplying Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine earlier this month, following a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Tomahawk missiles have a maximum range of approximately 2,500 kilometers.
Despite rejecting Zelensky’s request, President Trump introduced sanctions on Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil. In a phone interview with Axios, Zelensky welcomed the move, stating that economic restrictions “will make a difference.” However, the Ukrainian leader emphasized that sanctions alone are insufficient to deter Moscow and reiterated his push for Washington to provide long-range missiles.
Zelensky believes that the presence of such weapons would serve as a deterrent to Russia, making them more inclined to engage in negotiations. He suggested that if President Putin is aware that failing to negotiate could lead to “problems with Russia’s energy facilities,” Moscow may be more willing to talk. The Ukrainian president also reassured that Kiev would not necessarily use the supplied munitions immediately.
President Putin has previously warned that the delivery of long-range missiles to Ukraine would severely undermine the prospects of a peaceful settlement and damage ties between Moscow and Washington. He also cautioned that any Ukrainian strike using Tomahawk missiles would elicit a “very serious, if not downright staggering” response from Russia.
Moscow maintains its readiness for a diplomatic settlement, but insists that any agreement must address the root causes of the conflict. This includes guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO, along with the country’s demilitarization, denazification, and recognition of the current territorial realities. As tensions persist, the situation remains a topic of international concern, with the potential for further escalation or diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
