Part of victory plan

Zelensky wants Tomahawk cruise missiles from the USA

Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can be launched from ships or submarines, could be used to hit major Russian cities such as St. Petersburg, Moscow or even Yekaterinburg from Ukrainian soil.

(Bild: Raytheon)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has confirmed a report in the "New York Times" according to which he has asked for Tomahawk cruise missiles from the USA as part of a secret part of his so-called victory plan. As part of a "non-nuclear deterrence package", as the paper writes.

"This was secret information between Ukraine and the White House," he told journalists in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik. He was visibly annoyed: "How are we supposed to understand this news? So this means that there is no confidential information between partners," he stated.

If Ukraine were to receive medium-range weapons such as the Tomahawks from the USA, this would be a "preventive measure", according to the Ukrainian president. A high-ranking US official told the "New York Times" that this was a completely unfeasible demand.

Ukraine relies on deterrence
Almost two weeks ago, Zelensky presented a five-point plan for ending the war with Russia, which has been going on since February 2022, on Ukrainian terms. This plan, including the secret part, had previously been presented in Washington.

In particular, the plan includes the invitation to join the Western military alliance NATO, as demanded by Ukraine, and an armament of the country to deter Russia from further aggression.

Tomahawk cruise missiles have a maximum range of over 2,400 kilometers and can therefore theoretically reach major Russian cities such as St. Petersburg, Moscow or even Yekaterinburg in the Urals from Ukrainian soil.

Kiev wants to take the war back to Russia
When presenting his plan for victory, Selensky also reaffirmed his intention to take the war started by Moscow back to Russia so that the Russians rebel against their government.