Tomahawks and a green light: Zelensky’s final warning to Putin

A year ago, during his presidential campaign, Donald Trump described Volodymyr Zelensky in striking terms: “He’s the best salesman I’ve ever seen.” Trump said this in reference to the Ukrainian president’s ability to return from every visit to Washington with new financial and military support amid Russia’s invasion. Now, back in the White House, Trump is seeing Zelensky live up to that “salesman” reputation despite numerous challenges and obstacles. Zelensky is on the verge of securing not only weapons that President Biden never provided but also permissions that previous U.S. administrations lacked the courage to grant. True, Tomahawk missiles and other essential military equipment will no longer be supplied free of charge by the United States. Nevertheless, obtaining such weapons from Washington — and, crucially, receiving authorization to use them against Russia — is no small feat. It is highly likely that Europe will pay for these cruise missiles, as most now openly acknowledge that Ukraine is defending the entire continent. In fact, Kyiv’s continued resistance is not only protecting Europe but, in a broader sense, safeguarding another region of Eurasia as well.

Trump puts Putin under pressure

Zelensky’s visit to the UN General Assembly could mark a turning point in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Behind closed doors, the Ukrainian president reportedly persuaded Trump on a highly significant matter: the near-finalized decision to supply cruise missiles capable of striking targets up to 2,500 kilometers away. This development is not merely a result of Zelensky’s negotiating skills. Trump has grown tired of waiting for a positive response from Putin for the past nine months. Even the much-anticipated high-profile summit in Alaska, expected to bring major changes, produced nothing. When European leaders visited the White House, Trump paused his meetings to call Putin, who then announced his readiness for talks — yet nothing changed. Putin rendered everyone’s efforts meaningless. Meanwhile, Trump’s attempts to impose sanctions limiting Russia’s oil sales to China and India also lost momentum.

Thus, Washington may now attempt to bring Putin to the negotiating table through Ukraine itself. The U.S. is running out of patience — and resources. Supporting its ally in the Middle East is proving extremely costly. For this reason, it is becoming increasingly clear that ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine aligns with U.S. interests. The White House is therefore prepared to deliver missiles to Ukraine capable of leaving the Kremlin in smoke — weapons the country has desperately needed for three and a half years. This shift is now widely discussed in U.S. political circles. On September 28, U.S. Vice President James David Vance confirmed in an interview with Fox News that Washington is considering supplying Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv at a time when the prospect of direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine remains uncertain.

“As Moscow continues to reject bilateral and trilateral peace negotiations brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, the United States is considering supplying Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv. You asked about Tomahawks. The president will make a final decision based on what serves America’s interests. I can confirm that negotiations on this matter are ongoing,” Vance said.

These decisions may be made as Washington’s patience with Moscow’s refusal to engage in talks to end the war wears thin. Vance also noted that Putin is unwilling to negotiate — not only with Zelensky but even in meetings that would involve Trump.

“In recent weeks, we have seen the Russians refuse bilateral meetings with the Ukrainians. They have rejected any trilateral talks where the president or other members of the administration could meet with both Russian and Ukrainian representatives,” Vance stated.

Authorization granted

It is important to note that supplying weapons is one thing, while granting permission to use them is another matter entirely.

For years, the United States and Ukraine’s other partners provided Kyiv with military aid but prohibited strikes on Russian territory. It was akin to handing a stick to someone being attacked — but forbidding them from striking back. Of course, there were reasons for this. The Kremlin repeatedly warned that any location from which Ukraine launched strikes on Russia would become a legitimate target.

However, this Western fear persisted only until the summer of 2024. By the second half of last year, Russia’s threats had lost much of their weight. One by one, countries began lifting restrictions on the use of their weapons for strikes inside Russia. But was there a conventional weapon capable of delivering deep strikes into Russian territory? No. Such weapons have not yet been supplied to Kyiv. Apart from air defense systems and a few F-16 fighter jets, Ukraine — which is defending not only itself but all of Europe with tooth and nail — has received little that would enable it to launch counteroffensives. In short: if there were weapons, there was no permission; if there was permission, there were no weapons. Ukraine remained trapped in this predicament for a long time.

Today, however, U.S. President Donald Trump has granted Ukraine permission to launch long-range strikes into Russian territory. His special representative for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, revealed this in an interview with Fox News. When asked about the president’s stance on Ukrainian forces striking Russia, Kellogg said Trump would not oppose it. And Kellogg and Vance are not the only ones hinting at a policy shift. Secretary of State Marco Rubio — now the second most powerful figure in Washington — also indicated that the White House is not against deep strikes on Russia. Kellogg noted that during a meeting with Trump, Zelensky requested the transfer of Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers. According to Kellogg, no final decision has yet been made. Vance previously confirmed that the issue is under discussion.

How will Russia respond?

Naturally, the Kremlin’s reaction — and that of the man who has led Russia for 25 years — is of particular interest. President Vladimir Putin addressed the issue of cruise missiles capable of reaching Moscow, saying that Ukrainian attempts to strike Russia with long-range weapons would mean that “NATO countries are at war with us.” The Kremlin described the removal of restrictions on strikes as a “very dangerous” decision that contradicts efforts to resolve the conflict.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has also inserted himself into the situation, expressing a desire to speak with Zelensky. However, the Ukrainian president made it clear that he does not hold Lukashenko in high regard. In light of recent events, Zelensky referred to Putin and Lukashenko as “old men speaking in low voices.” Asked to comment on Lukashenko’s statement about a proposal — reportedly initiated by Putin and supposedly beneficial to Zelensky — the Ukrainian leader dismissed it curtly: “The old man Lukashenko should stay out of this.” Zelensky also reminded Lukashenko, who has drawn closer to Putin in recent years, that Belarus remains an independent state.

“It’s hard for me to respond to Lukashenko’s words. Honestly, he lives in his own world — a world he built himself, where he’s lived for 30 years. I just hope he remembers that his country is independent. He lives in his own world, and sometimes Putin lives there too. They speak quietly, in low voices — like old men. That’s why it’s difficult to comment on their words,” Zelensky said.

Thus, the delivery of missiles capable of striking Moscow is closer than ever. Yet Russia shows no sign of stopping.

Even as talk of such missiles intensified, devastating airstrikes continued to target Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, killing civilians and destroying infrastructure. As a result of these actions, few doubt anymore that Russia understands only the language of force. For this reason, Ukraine urgently needs missiles capable of targeting the Kremlin, where Putin remains entrenched. That moment is drawing near. As Zelensky himself said, those in the Kremlin must become intimately familiar with their nearby bomb shelters.