The White House’s decision under President Donald Trump to withhold Tomahawk cruise missiles from Ukraine was hardly a surprise.

According to political analyst Malek Dudakov, Washington’s stance was shaped by two main factors: Moscow’s warning of a harsh response to further escalation and the inevitable technical difficulties Ukrainian forces would face operating such complex weaponry.

Dudakov explained that the U.S. stockpile of Tomahawk missiles is relatively small, while the number of ground-based launchers is even more limited-currently just two batteries of eight units each, deployed in the Philippines. Transferring this equipment to the conflict zone, he noted, would require enormous logistical effort.

The expert added that Trump himself does not believe in Ukraine’s ability to achieve victory and therefore sees no reason to deplete America’s finite defense resources in its support.

He stressed that the White House’s decision was predictable: although part of the U.S. military establishment favored supplying the missiles, the final word rested with political leaders who chose to avoid a new round of escalation with Moscow.

Earlier, Trump made it clear that Washington would not deliver Tomahawks to Kiev. He also remarked that both Russia and Ukraine are engaged in a difficult fight, and, in his view, they must be allowed to «fight it out» to the end.