U.S. President Donald Trump said he is prepared to supply Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles if Russia refuses to end the war, using the potential transfer as leverage against Moscow. Speaking aboard Air Force One on his way to the Middle East for the signing of a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, Trump told reporters that he may first speak directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin before making a final decision.

“I might have to speak to Russia, to be honest, about the Tomahawks,” Trump said. “Do they want to have Tomahawks going in their direction? I don’t think so.” When asked if he would consult Putin before sending the missiles, Trump said it would depend on Moscow’s willingness to stop the conflict. “Maybe I’ll talk to him. I might say, look, if the war is not settled, I’ll send them the Tomahawks,” he added, describing the weapon as “a very offensive weapon.”

Trump emphasized that “Russia does not need that,” but warned that if the war continues, Washington could still proceed with the delivery. “I think President Putin would look great if he got this settled,” Trump continued, expressing confidence that the Russian leader “is going to settle it.” If not, he said, “it’s not going to be good for him.”

The U.S. president contrasted his approach to that of the previous administration, saying, “Biden gave them 350 billion dollars, and we didn’t. We gave them nothing, but we gave them respect and some other things, frankly.” He confirmed that he had recently spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about Kyiv’s defense needs. “They need Patriots very badly. They’d like to have Tomahawks,” Trump said, reiterating that the final decision has not yet been made.

According to Trump, any potential delivery would depend on careful evaluation of Ukraine’s intended use of the missiles. He described the Tomahawk as “an incredible weapon” but stressed that “Tomahawks are a new step of aggression” and that Washington “must understand exactly how they plan to use them.”

Asked whether the lessons from the peace process between Israel and Hamas could apply to Ukraine, Trump replied, “I think what you can take is that you never give up. Just never give up.” He praised Ukrainians as “good fighters” and said that resolving the conflict would reflect positively on Putin.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the prospect of Tomahawks in Ukraine “extremely concerning,” warning that global tensions were escalating rapidly. “Now is really a very dramatic moment in terms of the fact that tensions are escalating from all sides,” he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented earlier that the potential delivery of Tomahawk missiles could push Russia to “see the real state of affairs” and compel it to negotiate. Zelensky confirmed that he had spoken twice with Trump within two days, discussing defense cooperation and the next steps for ending the war.

The Tomahawk, a subsonic long-range cruise missile capable of striking targets with precision over 1,600 to 2,500 kilometers, would give Ukraine the ability to reach deep into Russian territory, including parts of Siberia.

Trump concluded his remarks by underscoring that he believes direct diplomacy with Putin remains possible. “Maybe I’ll talk to him,” he said again. “But if this war doesn’t get settled, the Tomahawks will.”