President Donald Trump expressed his desire to understand Ukraine’s plans for the utilization of American-made “Tomahawk” missiles before granting approval for their supply. He emphasized that he does not wish to escalate the ongoing conflict with Russia. Meanwhile, Russia announced the interception of 209 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Kyiv continued drone strikes on Russian territory for the second consecutive day, marking one of the most intense offensives since the war began over three years ago.
Trump’s remarks at the White House came in response to a question regarding the potential provision of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv. He stated, “I think I want to know what they will do with them… Where will they send them? I believe I need to ask this question,” adding, “I am not looking to escalate that war.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously requested Washington to allow the sale of Tomahawk missiles to European countries, which would then supply them to Ukraine. This move aims to enhance Kyiv’s offensive capabilities against Russian forces. The missiles have a range of approximately 2,500 kilometers, which means they could strike Moscow if Kyiv acquires them, raising concerns about the potential widening of the conflict.
Although Trump has not completely ruled out the supply option, he indicated that he has made a somewhat definitive decision on the matter, signaling ongoing discussions within the U.S. administration regarding the nature of military support for Ukraine.
Conversely, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles would lead to “destroying the relationship between Moscow and Washington.” He asserted that Russia would view this step as a direct threat to its national security and respond accordingly to match the escalation.
On the ground, Russia reported the interception of 209 Ukrainian drones overnight, with one of the strikes resulting in two fatalities in Belgorod.
Power outages were reported in this area, home to nearly a thousand residents, following recent drone strikes on energy facilities, according to local authorities. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that its forces also shot down 62 drones over the Kursk region and 31 over Belgorod, both adjacent to the Ukrainian border.
Additionally, the ministry reported the interception of 25 drones, 16 of which were over the Black Sea. Thirty drones were intercepted in the Nizhny Novgorod region, located hundreds of kilometers east of Moscow and far from the Ukrainian border.
In light of escalating tensions between East and West due to the war in Ukraine, Denmark announced plans to intensify inspections of oil tankers passing through its maritime corridor between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. This effort aims to limit operations of what is known as the “shadow fleet,” which Russia allegedly uses to evade Western sanctions on oil exports.
Copenhagen stated that over 60,000 ships transit the Skagerrak Strait annually, with dozens believed to belong to this fleet. This decision comes after reports surfaced of unidentified drones being spotted over Danish territory last month, prompting the closure of airports.
Moreover, the Kremlin welcomed Trump’s remarks supporting Russia’s proposal to extend the New START treaty, which is the only existing agreement limiting the nuclear arsenals of both countries and is set to expire next February.