The Trump administration will reportedly provide Ukraine with intelligence to launch long-range missiles against energy targets deep inside Russia.
US President Donald Trump is also considering sending Kyiv powerful weapons to bolster its ability to strike deeper targets within Russian territory, a move that could prove dangerous for Moscow when combined with the intel-sharing decision, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Additionally, Trump recently allowed intelligence agencies and the Pentagon to help Ukraine with the strikes. US officials said that they are also asking NATO allies to provide similar support to Kyiv.
The extended sharing of intelligence and the possible supply of weapons to Kyiv hints at Trump’s deepening support for Ukraine amid the paused peace talks.
This is reportedly the first time that the US will aid Ukrainian strikes with long-range missiles against the Russian energy infrastructure, officials said.
Ukraine’s newfound ability to better hit refineries, pipelines, power stations and other infrastructure far from its borders, with the help of American intelligence and weapons, will result in its goal of depriving Russia of revenue and oil to sustain economic stability in the face of its invasion.
Officials said that the Trump administration is also considering delivering Tomahawks and Barracudas, as well as other US-made ground and air-launched missiles with a range of around 500 miles. However, no decision on what to send, if anything, has been made.
With regard to intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, US officials are awaiting written instructions from the White House before starting the process, WSJ reported, citing an official.
Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that he asked Donald Trump for Tomahawks, with US Vice President JD Vance saying that the administration was considering Ukraine’s request.
The Trump administration recently green-signalled the sale of Extended Range Attack Munitions, air-launched missiles that can travel a range between 150-280 miles, to Ukraine, the WSJ reported.
The latest development comes just days after Trump expressed his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that Ukraine could probably recover all of its seized territory. On the basis of new US intelligence, Trump reportedly described Moscow as a “paper tiger”. He said the report showed that the Kremlin was spiralling toward economic destruction and defeat on the battlefield as a result of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier, Trump had said that Ukraine could not win the fight against Russia without being able to strike inside the territory.
While Ukraine has been carrying out drone attacks inside, the Trump administration restricted its use of the most powerful weapons and intelligence it shares. The deliveries of Army Tactical Missile Systems (Atacms), which were initially sent to Ukraine under the Joe Biden administration, were also stopped by Trump.
Additionally, the Pentagon reviewed every request each time the Ukrainians want to use them. This is why Ukraine has been unable to launch the US-supplied Atacms, which carry a range of around 190 miles.
Ukraine’s request to use the missiles against a Russian target was rejected by the Pentagon on at least one occasion.
Trump had promised to broker a ceasefire and bring the war in Ukraine to an end since his presidential campaign days last year. However, his initial offer of granting economic and commercial incentives to Russian President Vladimir Putin failed.
The talks between Russian and US leaders to negotiate a ceasefire deal that would end the 3.5-year-long war have come to a halt following a series of meetings between the two sides.
Now the US President has hinted that he might begin pursuing a different route. Last week, during his speech at the UN General Assembly, “Everyone thought Russia would win this war in three days, but it didn’t work out that way. It was supposed to be just a quick little skirmish. It’s not making Russia look good.”
Earlier this week, the Kremlin reacted to reports of America possibly sending powerful weapons to Ukraine. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Moscow is carefully analysing Washington’s statements about delivering Tomahawks to Ukraine.
“The question remains: Who can launch these missiles, even if they end up on Kyiv regime territory?” Peskov said. He further said, “Can only Ukrainians launch them, or will the American military do so? Who is assigning the targeting to these missiles? This requires a very thorough analysis.”
However, European officials welcomed the Trump administration. Germany has already invested around $350 million towards developing Ukraine’s industrial capacity to manufacture Kyiv’s deep-strike capabilities.
Brig. Gen. Joachim Kaschke, who oversees Germany’s military aid to Ukraine, said that Kyiv needs help against Moscow in three main areas: air defences, the ability to hold the front line and to strike deep into Russia. He said that the Ukrainian fighters have to take the fight beyond the front lines when they begin facing a numerically superior opponent.
“You have to cut off the supply lines to hold the front line—that is the military logic behind it,” Kaschke said.
