ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE—President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Russia on Sunday, suggesting he may supply Ukraine with powerful, long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles if Moscow does not swiftly bring an end to the ongoing conflict. The statement, delivered to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Israel, marks a significant potential escalation of U.S. support for Kyiv and increased pressure on the Kremlin.

“I might say, ‘Look: if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks,’” President Trump said. “The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that.”

The President added that while the decision is not yet final, he believes it is “appropriate to bring up.” He further elaborated, "I think I might speak to Russia about that. Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I don't think so."

The threat comes on the heels of a phone conversation earlier in the day between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which the potential provision of advanced weaponry was discussed, following a series of intensified Russian air strikes.

Russia Intensifies Attacks on Energy Infrastructure

The latest comments from the U.S. President coincided with a new wave of Russian air attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, part of Moscow's sustained campaign to cripple the country's power grid ahead of the harsh winter season.

Kyiv regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk confirmed on Sunday that two workers at a substation belonging to DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, were injured in a Russian strike. Ukraine's Energy Ministry also reported damage to facilities in the Donetsk, Odesa, and Chernihiv regions.

President Zelenskyy took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the attacks, stating, "Russia continues its aerial terror against our cities and communities, intensifying strikes on our energy infrastructure.” He disclosed that Russia had launched "more than 3,100 drones, 92 missiles, and around 1,360 glide bombs" over the past week alone.

Kremlin Expresses 'Extreme Concern'

The prospect of Tomahawk missile deployment has triggered a forceful reaction from Moscow. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, in remarks published on Sunday, voiced "extreme concern" over the issue.

“The topic of Tomahawks is of extreme concern,” Peskov told Russian state television, adding that "Now is really a very dramatic moment in terms of the fact that tensions are escalating from all sides."

Tomahawk missiles, with their long-range precision-strike capabilities, would allow Ukraine to hit targets deep within Russian territory, a development Kyiv views as essential to force Moscow into serious peace negotiations. Although President Trump previously suggested he had "sort of made a decision" on the matter without providing details, his comments aboard Air Force One represent his most direct public threat to date regarding the weapon system.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]