Volodymyr Zelensky has asked the United States for Tomahawk missiles capable of hitting targets in Moscow during a closed-door meeting with American President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.
The Ukrainian President told his American counterpart that high-tech weapons would compel Vladimir Putin to come to the negotiating table for a peace deal, as reported by The Telegraph.
Multiple sources informed the British newspaper that the request was made during the "extremely positive" meeting of the two leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
Zelensky wants a weapon to tame Putin
In an interview with Axios after the meeting, Zelensky stated that Trump responded favorably to his request for long-range cruise missiles, which would enable Kyiv to target Moscow.
"President Trump knows, I told him yesterday what we need - one thing… We need it, but that doesn't mean we will use it. Because if we have it, I believe it is additional pressure on Putin to sit down and talk," said the Ukrainian President after his meeting with Trump.
It is not clear whether Zelensky's efforts to obtain Tomahawk missiles from the US will be successful, as mentioned by The Telegraph.
Diplomatic sources revealed that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told European counterparts that Trump's shift in tone towards Ukraine should be seen "as positively as possible." Rubio also mentioned that the American President is "very angry" at Putin for ignoring his efforts to end the three-and-a-half-year war.
Surprisingly, Trump stated on Tuesday that he now believes in Ukraine's chances to regain control over its territory within internationally recognized borders.
The Washington Post reported in July that Trump was considering supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine for deep strikes into Russia.
What Tomahawk missiles can do
The Tomahawk is a subsonic cruise missile with a long range designed for precision strikes against ground targets.
It has a range of action between 1,600 and 2,500 kilometers, stated Borsari, noting that any version received by Ukraine could be limited to 1,700 kilometers.
These missiles were first used in combat during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and remain an essential component of the American long-range arsenal. Each missile costs around two million dollars and is manufactured by Raytheon.
"Currently, I would say it represents the primary tool of the US to attack very distant ground targets and is mostly launched from naval platforms, submarines, and surface ships," stated Federico Borsari, a researcher at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) for Kyiv Independent.
The Tomahawk can fly at low altitudes and perform evasive maneuvers to minimize the risk of interception. The latest version of the missile can also be reprogrammed during flight and even hover over a target before striking it.
"It's a very fast cruise missile, although still subsonic. It uses a combination of different guidance systems to be very precise," Borsari said, adding that it can hit a target at "about 30 meters, if not less."
"The Tomahawk also carries a very powerful warhead, weighing between 400 and 450 kilograms, depending on the configuration," he added.