Weapon Ukraine hopes will force Putin’s hand
The US is considering giving Ukraine a weapon that Kyiv says could be successful in forcing Moscow’s hand – even if it is never used
Ukraine could soon get its hands on a weapon it hopes will be a game changer and may force Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the war.
But even if Kyiv gets American Tomahawk missiles that can strike deep into Russia, they may not even be allowed to them. At least not at first.
Nonetheless, one of Ukraine’s top national security officials has said that just talking about and receiving the missiles is “real pressure” against Russia.
US President Donald Trump has said that “sort of made a decision” about allowing the long range missile to be sold to Ukraine but he wanted to see “where they are sending them” adding he didn’t want to see an escalation.
It comes as Moscow said any momentum to end the conflict following on from Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin’s Alaska summit had largely “gone”.
Although critics, including Kyiv, have said Putin was never serious about peace negotiations and just wanted to be feted by the US.
Mr Trump has be open about his frustration with Mr Putin for not doing more to come to a deal to end the war following his red carpet Alaska welcome.
Tomahawk’s far greater range
Ukraine currently has the US ATACMS and European Storm Shadow missiles at its disposal. These have a maximum range of around 300kms and have been used to hit targets outside Ukraine within Russia as well as parts of Ukraine occupied by Russia.
Using those weapons – and many drones – has been credited with thwarting a number of new Russian offensives to cross the border into Ukraine’s north by pushing Moscow’s forces further back.
But Russia still has formidable firepower located outside the range of these weapons, including air bases and drone factories.
Tomahawk cruise missiles have a far greater range of around 2500km, meaning Moscow and even St Petersburg would be within reach. Kyiv’s drones have already reached those cities but Tomahawks can carry a larger payload. Potentially they can carry nuclear warheads but there is no suggestion missiles sent to Ukraine would have anything other than conventional payloads.
Former US President Joe Biden only gave permission for US weapons to be used in a very limited capacity across the border between the waring nations for fear of escalation.
But if President Trump does allow the missiles to be sold it would be a remarkable turnaround given he has berated Ukraine in the past and even halted weapons deliveries for a time.
The Kremlin has said selling Tomahawks to Ukraine could end the détente between Moscow and Washington.
Use in stages
Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian parliament’s national security, defence and intelligence committee Yehor Cherniev was quoted by the UK’s Telegraph newspaper as saying that if the Tomahawks arrived they would be used in “stages” to try and force Putin’s hand.
Kyiv envisages that Moscow does not want these longer range missiles destroying its factories and air bases in the same way that Riisein weapons have been targeting Ukraine’s facilities.
It’s not even clear at this point if the US would allow them to be fired even if they were delivered. But even receiving the missiles would be one stage of the pressure camapoign.
“At each of these stages, Putin is given the opportunity to retreat and go to negotiations. And therefore, the supply and use of missiles will most likely be very gradual,” he stated.
“First they will give us rockets, but a few pieces, or a couple of dozen, but they will not allow us to shoot them at once and we will see the Kremlin’s reaction.”
Mr Cherniev said eventually the only restrictions might be not to hit The Kremlin or Putin himself.
“This whole epic could take at least a few months. But it’s already real pressure and a real argument.”
The Kremlin has said the Tomahawks were a “serious escalation” but it was not a “magic weapon” that could fundamentally alter the conflict.
In late September, US Vice President JD Vance said Ukraine could use the rockets to “hit deep” but Mr Trump would make the final decision on whether that would be supplied.
If Tomahawks were to arrive in Ukraine they would first be purchased by European nations from the US as the White House has refused further new direct funding to the war torn nation.
On Wednesday, local time, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said progress on a ceasefire had stalled.
“Unfortunately, we must admit that the powerful momentum generated by Anchorage”.
He warned that sending Tomahawks to Ukraine would have “severe” consequences and urged Washington to reconsider the decision.
– with AFP.
Originally published as Weapon Ukraine hopes will force Putin’s hand
