"US May Give Ukraine Weapons That Could Decide The Outcome Of The War"

"Tomahawks" are only the beginning of Washington's new military policy.

US President Donald Trump said that the decision to transfer Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine has actually been made, specifying that Washington only wants to make sure how exactly Kiev will use them.

What does this statement by the US president mean? Is it another element of pressure on Moscow or a real shift in the issue of the transfer of missiles? This is the question the website Charter97.org asked military expert, director of the New Geopolitics Research Network and expert of the Ukrainian Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies Mikhail Samusy:

- The fact is that the very transfer of missiles to Ukraine - specifically Tomahawk missiles - is associated with certain technical problems, because the carriers of these missiles are mainly sea platforms, such as cruisers or frigates, which, of course, Ukraine will not be transferred - we do not need them. Therefore, the very technical aspect of this issue raises doubts that Tomahawk missiles can be transferred to us at all.

And, frankly speaking, from the military point of view, these missiles can no longer bring any significant changes, because they will be transferred to us a few dozen of these missiles. This will not affect the front in any way, and it is still more correct for Ukraine to develop its similar missiles - the same announced "Flamingo" missiles: in terms of range and power they exceed the characteristics of the "Tomahawk".

From the military point of view, there are slight doubts here. From a political point of view, this may be Washington's game of pressurizing Putin and demonstrating that the US can really dramatically change its military-technical policy towards Ukraine. That is, Ukraine could be handed any kind of weaponry.

The US has more than just Tomahawks that could really help Ukraine dramatically change the situation on the front. For example, I would still talk about JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) missiles, which are part of the nomenclature of F-16 weapons. And if such missiles were given to us - of course, not 10 of them, but several hundred - they would really change the situation on the battlefield in strategic and operational depth, because they have different ranges, from ~300 to ~1,000 kilometers; this changes the case in terms of the use of even F-16s, because these aircraft are still actually used by 10 percent of their total potential.

There's also talk of giving us ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) missiles, of which there are maybe 1,500 to 2,000 lying around for disposal. They could be disposed of differently, cheaper than in Nevada or Arizona. Also, the U.S. has opportunities to transfer to Ukraine American sets of corrective aerial bombs (for example, JDAM - GBU-series), which can also change the situation on the front. Ukraine could also be given long-range air-to-air missiles - for example, AIM-120 (AMRAAM) with a range of about 150 kilometers, which could intercept Russian Su-34s and complicate the use of Russian aircraft and aerial guided munitions.

That is, in principle, Tomahawk is more a symbol of a change in the US military-technical policy towards Ukraine. Roughly speaking, Trump is now practicing these intimidating statements for Putin, and some decision will be made as a result. The Tomahawks themselves in terms of technical problems are unlikely to make any difference, but everything else I listed - and the US has a lot of untapped arsenals - could really affect the tactical, operational, and strategic picture of warfare.

- How should Trump's words that he wants to "first make sure how Ukraine will use these missiles" be understood? Is this a diplomatic caveat or a signal of possible restrictions?"

- The US requires Ukraine to agree on any use of American weapons, so there is nothing strange here.

I will repeat once again: Ukraine should produce its own weapons, not to ask anyone, to strike at maximum depth and maximum intensity against all possible targets on Russian territory.

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