(Brussels) US President Donald Trump said he is not currently considering an agreement to allow Ukraine to acquire Tomahawk missiles for use against Russia.
Trump has taken a lukewarm stance towards the US plan to sell Tomahawk missiles to NATO countries, which would then transfer them to Ukraine, claiming he does not want to escalate the war.
When asked by reporters on Air Force One on Sunday (November 2) whether he was considering a missile sale agreement, he replied, "No, really not." However, he added that he might change his mind.
The Tomahawk missile has a range of 2,500 kilometers, enough to strike deep targets within Russia, including the capital, Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made a purchase request, but Moscow has warned that it will not allow the delivery of Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv.
Trump discussed the Tomahawk missile proposal with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House on October 22. Rutte indicated last Friday (October 31) that the issue was under consideration, and the final decision rested with the US.
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Despite the unresolved issue of the Tomahawk missiles, NATO Military Committee Chairman Dracon told the BBC that NATO will stand with Ukraine until both sides sit down at the negotiating table and achieve lasting peace; European countries will also continue to support Ukraine's defense.
Dragon said that from an operational perspective, he believes the Russia-Ukraine war has reached a stalemate, "It's almost time to sit down and negotiate, because this war is wasting lives."
He also pointed out that air defense systems are the top priority among all NATO's current defense needs. Recent incidents of Russian drones intruding into Polish and Romanian airspace have prompted NATO to upgrade its air defense capabilities.
He also indicated regarding the "drone wall" plan that this concept will be deployed on NATO's eastern border within months.
The "drone wall" plan, conceived by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, aims to establish a multi-layered, high-tech system for identifying, tracking, and eliminating enemy drones.
The European Commission plans to focus on strengthening defense, economic competitiveness, and border security in 2026. The drone defense plan is one of the related projects to monitor the eastern border.
