If the delivery of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine is approved, their control could be completely transferred to American defense contractors, and Ukrainian military personnel will likely not even be instructed on their use, the Financial Times reports, citing Pentagon sources.

The publication notes that this arrangement will allow Washington to maintain control over the use of precision weapons while minimizing the risk of escalation. The missiles, capable of striking targets at ranges of up to 2500 kilometers, are primarily designed for launch from ships and submarines, and Ukraine lacks suitable platforms. For land-based launches, the transfer of systems such as Typhon or X-MAV is being considered, but operators are planned to be specialists from private companies such as Raytheon, the manufacturer of Tomahawk.

A decision is expected after Donald Trump's meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy on October 17, where the missiles are being discussed as a tool to pressure Moscow. FT experts emphasize that the initial shipment may be limited to 20-50 units, which would have more of a psychological than strategic impact, but deliveries could be increased.