US President Donald Trump is considering the possibility of transferring "Tomahawk" missiles to Ukraine and introducing additional sanctions against Russia, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said Thursday at the Riga Conference.
He noted that Trump is "personally convinced of the need for a just peace" and is "humanly shocked by the number of casualties." Whitaker acknowledged that the US president sees a "new phase" in the war, in which Ukraine may regain some of the occupied territories.
The US ambassador also emphasized that Washington is closely working with European partners to help countries abandon Russian energy resources. He noted that some allies are still purchasing Russian oil through pipeline systems, but the US is working with each of them to end this dependence as soon as possible.
He pointed out that Trump wants NATO to be not only a military but also an economic and political alliance. The ambassador stressed that the US and its allies are increasing pressure on Russia to force Vladimir Putin to come to the negotiating table.
"We are doing a lot of what we didn't do in the spring. The pressure is mounting, and we have many cards to play," the ambassador said.
Whitaker emphasized that the goal is a "just and sustainable peace," where Ukraine maintains its independence and ability to defend itself. According to him, the US president wants the war to end, but not at the expense of Ukraine.
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