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Ukraine Pushes Europe for Tomahawk Missiles and Harsher Sanctions: “Can Change the Course of the War”

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Roman Kohanets
News Writer
Ukraine Pushes Europe for Tomahawk Missiles and Harsher Sanctions: “Can Change the Course of the War”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on October 17. (Source: Getty Images)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told European leaders that Ukraine is in talks with European countries that possess Tomahawk cruise missiles and pressed for tighter sanctions enforcement and the use of frozen Russian assets, according to his address to the European Council on October 23.

“And these long-range weapons are not only in the United States–some European countries also have them, including Tomahawks. We are already talking to the countries that can help,” he said, arguing that such capabilities would impose “real consequences” on the Kremlin and “can truly change the course of the war.” 

Zelenskyy coupled the request with a call to accelerate sanctions oversight. “We waited quite a while for the 19th sanctions package, but it is finally approved… Now, it’s important to fully put it into action.“

And we’ll coordinate with Norway, Switzerland, and the UK and others so they apply these strong EU measures in their own systems too,” he said. He also urged leaders to create “strong sanctions control and real consequences for those who break the rules.” 

The president welcomed new American measures unveiled this week and publicly thanked the US administration. “It’s very important that yesterday the United States introduced new sanctions against Russia targeting oil companies… And I want to thank President Trump for this decision,” he said in the same address. 

Beyond weapons and sanctions, Zelenskyy pressed for swift decisions on channeling frozen Russian sovereign assets to Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction, calling the mechanism “fully legal and fair” and arguing that delays “limit our defense.”

He also asked European capitals to prioritize near-term air-defense transfers—potentially via temporary swaps of Patriot systems—to protect energy infrastructure as Russia intensifies winter strikes. 

Earlier, it was reported that the European Union approved its 19th sanctions package targeting Russia’s banks, energy-and-tech supply chain, and crypto flows — a key component of Zelenskyy’s call for tougher enforcement.

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