Ukraine, while exhibiting "extraordinary" bravery after being at war with Russia for four years, is developing its own technology and not waiting for President Donald Trump to decide whether to supply it with Tomahawk missiles, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told Newsmax on Friday.
"Whether they get Tomahawks or not, they're not going to wait for that decision," Whitaker told Newsmax's "Wake Up America Early." "They're going to move out on developing their own technology."
"If it's not supplied by the United States or our European allies, then it's going to be created and manufactured in Ukraine," he added.
Whitaker, who just returned from a trip to Ukraine to oversee NATO's delivery of U.S.-made weapons, said he witnessed firsthand how the military partnership is functioning "as a group with representatives from many of our member countries."
"I saw the forklifts transferring the armaments and ammunition onto trucks bound for Ukraine," Whitaker said. "It was a great example of this alliance working together."
The ambassador described his visit as "an incredible experience," saying the trip reinforced his belief that the war must end but also showed him the determination of Ukrainians defending their homeland.
"I was struck by two things," he said. "One, is that this war needs to end. The killing must stop."
Trump, Whitaker added, has been "clear" for years that "four years of war is four years too many."
And at the same time, he said that he saw a "resilience of the Ukrainian people and a bravery that was just extraordinary."
Ukraine has become "a battle lab of future warfare," integrating drones, missiles, and air defenses with ground forces, Whitaker noted.
He also described visiting operations centers and touring Kharkiv, near the Russian border, where he saw evidence of the destruction from the war's early days.
On the issue of Ukraine's request for Tomahawk missiles, Whitaker said the long-range weapons "can reach way past Moscow" and would provide the kind of deep-strike capability Ukrainian forces need.
"You can't bring anything close to the fight, whether it's a tank or an armored personnel carrier, without it immediately getting attention from the drones in the air," he said.
"The Russians are able to stage behind the reach of those types of weapons, so you need deeper strike potential," the ambassador continued.
Russia has reacted strongly to talk of new NATO or U.S. weapons deliveries, Whitaker said, noting that Moscow "picked up the phone and called" after Trump mentioned Tomahawks.
"They spent a whole day trying to explain how they were actually a bear," he said. "But the long story short is Tomahawk missiles and deep strike capabilities would get Russia's attention, but we have their attention anyway."
Turning to diplomacy, Whitaker praised Trump's success in expanding the Abraham Accords, saying Kazakhstan's new participation underscores the administration's "peacemaker in chief" approach.
"President Trump continues to work on creating a stable world where conflict is no longer necessary," Whitaker said. "History will reflect that President Trump did more for peace and prosperity than any president in the history of the United States."
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