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President Donald Trump has announced that he will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the possibility of sending long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: A few weeks back, President Trump indicated that he may move forward with supplying long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, but stressed that any decision would depend on assurances about how the weapons would be used. He stated that he wants to be certain the missiles would target only military assets and not escalate the war further. Tomahawk cruise missiles can travel up to 1,550 miles, a range that would allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory, including Moscow. In response, the Kremlin has warned that such a move would represent an unprecedented escalation, with Russian officials describing it as a “new stage” of the war. Prior to Trump returning to office, President Putin said that providing long-range weapons to Ukraine would put the providers of those countries at direct war with Russia, arguing that those providing nations would have to share targeting information.

What’s going on now: While traveling to Israel aboard Air Force One, President Trump told reporters that he may use the potential delivery of Tomahawk missiles as leverage in an upcoming conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I might say, ‘Look, if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks,’” Trump said. He described the weapon as “an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon,” and added, “Honestly, Russia does not need that.” Trump suggested that the possibility of sending Tomahawks is meant to pressure Russia toward a resolution, but warned, “Tomahawks are a new step of aggression.”

Trump added, “Do they want to have Tomahawks going in their direction? I don’t think so,” he said. “I think I might speak to Russia about that, in all fairness.” The president reiterated that this isn’t a done deal but something he’s seriously considering: “We may not, but we may do it,” he said, framing the option as both a warning and a tool for negotiation.

This all comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a recent interview that Ukraine would only use the Tomahawks for military purposes, not civilian targets. “We never attacked their civilians. This is the big difference between Ukraine and Russia,” he told Fox News.

Meanwhile, Russian officials responded with alarm to Trump’s statements. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the mere mention of Tomahawks was of “extreme concern” and warned that their deployment would escalate tensions dramatically. President Putin has previously insisted that such advanced weapons cannot be used without direct US military involvement, suggesting that their delivery would mark a “qualitatively new stage of escalation” in the conflict.