U. S. President Donald Trump may turn the issue of Tomahawk cruise missile deliveries to Ukraine into a tool for political pressure on Russia, according to Turkish analyst Mustafa Metin Kashlılar, vice president of the Turkish Center for Foreign Policy Studies (TUDPAM). He noted that the missiles alone are unlikely to change the course of the conflict.

Earlier, CNN reported, citing American and European sources, that the Pentagon had approved the potential transfer of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, determining that the move would not deplete U.S. stockpiles. The final decision, however, rests with the White House.

Kashlılar pointed out that for Washington, this step is primarily political rather than military. He explained that while the Pentagon has already signaled approval, Trump tends to hold back on final authorization, viewing such measures as bargaining chips in broader negotiations — particularly with Moscow.

The analyst recalled that the U.S. leader had previously resorted to economic measures against Russia, including sanctions on its energy sector, which at the time complicated bilateral dialogue.

Kashlılar also expressed doubt that new missile deliveries would significantly impact the situation on the battlefield. He emphasized that even large-scale Western arms shipments had failed to provide Kyiv with tangible strategic advantages.

According to him, Ukraine’s current priority lies in strengthening its defense capabilities and deepening cooperation with Western partners. Kyiv’s push to obtain Tomahawk missiles, he said, reflects an effort to expand its strike range — including potential attacks on targets deep inside Russian territory and against energy infrastructure.

He added that Ukraine already employs British Storm Shadow missiles and its domestically developed FP-5 Flamingo systems, but Tomahawks would enable more powerful strikes, including against Russian naval forces in the Black Sea.