U.S. President Donald Trump holds an umbrella earlier boarding Air Force One, arsenic helium departs for Israel, astatine Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, connected Oct. 12, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
President Donald Trump connected Sunday warned Russia that helium whitethorn nonstop Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles if Moscow doesn't settee its warfare determination soon — suggesting that helium could beryllium acceptable to summation the unit connected Vladimir Putin's authorities utilizing a cardinal weapons system.
"I mightiness say, 'Look: if this warfare is not going to get settled, I'm going to nonstop them Tomahawks," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One arsenic helium flew to Israel. "The Tomahawk is an unthinkable weapon, precise violative weapon. And honestly, Russia does not request that."
Trump said, "I mightiness archer them that if the warfare is not settled — that we whitethorn precise well." He added, "We whitethorn not, but we whitethorn bash it. I deliberation it's due to bring up."
His comments came aft Trump spoke by telephone earlier Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Trump said helium mentioned perchance sending Tomahawks during that conversation.
"Do they privation to person Tomahawks going successful that direction? I don't deliberation so," Trump said of Russia. "I deliberation I mightiness talk to Russia astir that." He added that "Tomahawks are a caller measurement of aggression."
His suggestions followed Russia's onslaught connected Ukraine's powerfulness grid overnight, portion of an ongoing run to cripple Ukrainian vigor infrastructure earlier winter. Moscow besides expressed "extreme concern" implicit the U.S. perchance providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine.
Putin himself has antecedently suggested that the United States supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine volition earnestly harm relations betwixt Moscow and Washington.
For his part, Zelenskyy described his latest telephone with Trump arsenic "very productive," and said the brace had discussed strengthening Ukraine's "air defense, resilience, and long-range capabilities," on with "details related to the vigor sector."
Trump successful caller weeks has taken a notably tougher tact with Putin, aft the Russian person has declined to prosecute successful nonstop talks with Zelenskyy astir easing fighting.
Last month, Trump announced that helium present believes Ukraine could triumph backmost each the territory mislaid to Russia —a melodramatic displacement from the Republican's repeated calls for Kyiv to marque concessions to extremity Russia's warfare successful Ukraine.
But the U.S. president, astatine slightest truthful far, has resisted Zelenskyy's calls for Tomahawks. The limb strategy would let Ukraine to onslaught deeper into Russian territory and enactment the benignant of unit connected Putin that Zelenskyy argues is needed to get the Russians to earnestly prosecute successful bid talks.
Trump said aboard Air Force One of the war: "I truly deliberation Putin would look large if helium got this settled" and that "It's not going to beryllium bully for him" if not.
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