Trump contemplating providing Ukraine with extended-range missiles, Vance states

US Vice-President JD Vance has stated that the United States is weighing a request from Ukraine for long-range Tomahawk missiles.

Nevertheless, Vance noted that President Donald Trump would ultimately make “the final determination” regarding this issue.

Ukraine has consistently urged its Western allies to supply it with weaponry capable of striking significant Russian cities positioned far from the front lines, contending that such support would crucially undermine Russia’s military industry and contribute to ending the conflict.

Deputy Defence Minister Ivan Havryliuk expressed to the BBC, “If Moscow finds the cost of continuing the war too burdensome, it will have to initiate peace discussions.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Vance’s remark, asserting that there is “no cure-all that can alter the situation on the battlefield for the Kyiv regime.”

“Regardless of whether it’s Tomahawks or different missiles, they won’t shift the dynamics,” he continued.

With a reach of 2,500 km (1,500 miles), Tomahawk missiles could potentially target Moscow from Ukraine.

While Vance expressed uncertainty regarding Ukraine’s Tomahawk request during his comments on Sunday, US special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, appeared to indicate that Trump had already permitted strikes deep into Russian lands.

When questioned on Fox News about whether Washington had allowed Kyiv to execute long-range strikes within Russia under certain conditions, Kellogg affirmed: “Yes, the capability to target deep is there; there are no safe havens.”

The remarks from Vance and Kellogg align with the recent shift in the US administration’s stance on the conflict.

After previously expressing doubts about Ukraine’s ability to withstand Russia, last week Trump stated that Kyiv could “regain all of Ukraine as it was originally” – a change that reportedly took Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky by surprise.

Trump has shown irritation towards Russian President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to discuss a truce compared to Moscow’s ongoing bombardments of Ukrainian towns.

On Sunday, a significant 12-hour strike featuring hundreds of drones and nearly 50 missiles resulted in four fatalities in Kyiv and around 70 injuries.

Havryliuk relayed to the BBC that Russia was set to escalate the intensity and ferocity of its aerial strikes.

In order to shield its airspace from ballistic threats, Kyiv is requesting its Western allies to supply at least 10 units of Patriot surface-to-air defense systems that can spot and intercept incoming missiles.

When asked if the Patriot systems promised by Trump over the summer were on their way, Havryliuk refrained from providing detailed information but noted that there was “some progress in this area.”

With an increasing number of drones and missiles being launched by Russia, intercepting them becomes increasingly challenging for Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Moscow launched a record number exceeding 800 drones and missiles – the highest since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Naturally, during such extensive assaults, the interception success rate diminishes.

Of the hundreds of drones deployed in the attack on Sunday, 31 managed to reach their intended targets. According to President Zelensky, most were residential buildings and civilian sites such as a cardiology center in Kyiv.

In addition to their frequency and intensity, aerial assaults are also becoming increasingly perilous as Moscow is employing innovative and advanced drones to penetrate Ukraine’s air defenses, Havryliuk noted.

When Iranian-manufactured Shahed drones were first utilized in 2023, “they were easily jammed by our electronic warfare capabilities,” he stated.

“Now, they utilize 16-channel antennas to navigate through our jamming zones.”

Havryliuk is optimistic that Ukraine could intercept Russian drones before they reach European territories.

“Enhancing our air defense capabilities is an investment in the security of all of Europe,” he remarked, in reference to the recent breach of Russian drones into Polish airspace.

He asserted that it would hinder “Putin’s efforts to continually intimidate Europe.”

Earlier this year, the Trump administration sanctioned a new approach that enables European partners to procure US-made arms for Ukraine. Thus far, several European nations and Canada have collectively committed $2 billion (£1.5 billion).

While some of the armaments acquired through this program are already being delivered to Ukraine, Havryliuk mentioned that the pace is slower than previously experienced.

In Ukraine, time is a valuable asset, and over the past three and a half years of conflict, Kyiv has established a robust defense industry, significantly boosting its production of drones, artillery shells, artillery systems, and armored vehicles.

Ukraine now manufactures nearly 100% of its required First Person View (FPV) drones and up to 40% of the frontline’s other weaponry needs, Havryliuk stated.

On Monday, Zelensky announced that Ukraine would persist in emphasizing the development of domestically produced drones and long-range missiles.

However, until it can ramp up its armament output, Kyiv will continue to rely heavily on its allies for the necessary air defense systems.

Ukraine hopes that improved protection for its cities through air defense systems, combined with long-range weaponry capable of targeting Russian positions, will incentivize Moscow to engage in negotiations.

“Only with our partners can we halt the Russian terror in the skies,” Havryliuk stated.