Overview
- Defense officials concluded the transfer would not deplete U.S. Tomahawk stockpiles, delivering a technical green light to the White House in early October.
- President Trump has not authorized the move, publicly voicing reluctance and privately telling President Zelensky "not yet" after a call with Vladimir Putin.
- The administration has contingency plans to rush deliveries if ordered, keeping the option open pending a political decision.
- Operational questions persist over training and launch platforms, with ground-based launchers viewed as the likely path given Ukraine’s depleted navy.
- European allies pressed for deeper-strike capabilities and expressed frustration over shifting signals, while Moscow warned of a harsh response and the U.S. tightened sanctions on Russian oil firms.