U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning that the United States could supply Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles if the conflict with Russia is not resolved soon, according to the BBC’s Russia Service.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on the night of October 13 as he traveled to Israel and Egypt, Trump revealed that he had discussed the possibility with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during calls on October 11 and 12.
“I might talk to him. I might say: Listen, if this war isn’t settled, I’m sending them Tomahawk missiles,” Trump said, referring to a potential conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He emphasized that while the decision is not final, the option is on the table. “Tomahawk is an incredible weapon — highly offensive. Honestly, Russia doesn’t need this kind of trouble. I can tell them, if this war doesn’t stop, we’ll go ahead. We don’t have to do it, but we can,” Trump added, according to Deutsche Welle (DW).
The Kremlin responded by calling the potential transfer of Tomahawks to Ukraine a “serious escalation.”
Zelensky clarifies Ukraine’s intentions for Tomahawk missiles
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned earlier that the delivery of U.S. Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would destroy any remaining positive momentum in relations between Moscow and Washington.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that the missiles would be used strictly against military targets and not against civilians in Russia. Zelensky revealed that he had held a second phone call with Trump on October 12, calling the conversation productive.
“We agreed on specific issues today and discussed all aspects of the situation — protecting lives in our country, strengthening air defense, boosting resilience, and extending long-range capabilities,” Zelensky wrote on social media.
As of publication, Trump had not commented on the call.
“Peace Summit” in Egypt begins without Israel and Hamas
Today, President Trump is participating in a high-level peace summit in Egypt, focused on ending the ongoing war in Gaza. The Egyptian presidency announced that the summit on October 13 has brought together leaders and senior representatives from 20 countries, including the U.S., France, Germany, India, the UK, Turkiye, the UAE, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and others.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani are attending, along with the UN Secretary-General, the President of the European Council, and the head of the Arab League.
Neither Israel nor Hamas take part directly in the summit. Instead, both parties will communicate through mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Hamas has informed Israel via Arab intermediaries that it holds 20 living Israeli hostages — the first time the group has disclosed a precise number. The Israeli military is reportedly prepared to receive the hostages by Sunday night, though the handover is more likely to occur on Monday morning due to Trump’s planned visits to Egypt and Israel.
Hamas captured 251 individuals during its attack on Israel two years ago, including foreign nationals. The fate of 48 hostages remains unclear, with Israel believing that at least 20 may still be alive. Under Trump’s proposed plan, Hamas would release all surviving hostages and return the bodies of 28 deceased victims, while Israel would agree to release approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
