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The Pentagon reportedly concluded that the United States could supply Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine without impacting US stockpiles or readiness.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: About a month ago, 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. During a meeting with President Zelenskyy at the White House, President Trump then ruled out providing the weapons due to concerns that it would represent an escalation with Russia. Notably, Russian officials had warned that providing such weapons to Ukraine would be a red line for them and open the door to a “new stage” of the war.

What’s going on now: First reported by CNN and picked up by a few other outlets citing sources within the Pentagon, military officials concluded that transferring long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would not compromise US defense stockpiles. This assessment was delivered to the White House earlier this month, just days before President Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Pentagon officials determined that the US maintained sufficient inventory of Tomahawks to support both domestic defense needs and a potential transfer to Ukraine, easing a key logistical concern that had previously stalled decision-making.

Following the internal greenlight, US defense officials began drafting contingency plans for rapid deployment of the missile systems, should the president authorize the move. These preparations include not only logistical timelines for shipment, but also frameworks for how the systems could be integrated into Ukraine’s existing military infrastructure.

Despite approving the transfer in principle, the Pentagon flagged operational challenges that remain unresolved. Chief among them is the method of deployment, as Tomahawks are typically launched from naval platforms (ships or submarines) that Ukraine currently lacks. US officials have considered supplying ground-based launchers developed by the Marine Corps and Army as an alternative. There are also concerns about training Ukrainian forces on the system, though some officials point to Ukraine’s previous success in adapting British Storm Shadow missiles as evidence that they could overcome technical barriers with US assistance.

As of now, there’s been no indication that Trump has changed his mind on providing Tomahawks to Ukraine.