Overview

• Zelensky requested U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles during a Sept. 23 meeting with President Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, according to multiple reports.
• Zelensky said Trump appeared receptive, telling him "we will work on it," and he emphasized that simply possessing the missiles could pressure Moscow to talk.
• Tomahawks would allow Ukraine to strike far deeper than current systems, potentially reaching Moscow, which Ukrainian officials describe as a deterrent rather than a guaranteed use.
• U.S. escalation concerns and limited Tomahawk stockpiles remain key obstacles, and the Biden administration had previously rejected a similar request from Kyiv.
• Sources described the encounter as "massively positive," and reporting says Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged European partners to view a shift in tone favorably, while a separate report says Trump was open to ending limits on long‑range strikes without making commitments.