«Tomahawks» are the only real way to force Putin to negotiate, Portnikov says
Portnikov explained why having such weapons would make Putin consider the threat to Russia’s centers of power and bring him back to the negotiating table.
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"Tomahawk" missile / © Getty Images / © Getty Images
Journalist and publicist Vitaliy Portnikov believes that only supplying Ukraine with long‑range «Tomahawk» missiles can force the Russian leadership to sit down at the negotiating table.
He expressed this view on his YouTube channel while analysing the Kremlin’s foreign policy.
Portnikov stressed that Russia traditionally interprets Western partners’ willingness to negotiate as «weakness» and tries to put pressure on them. However, he said, this tactic does not work, especially in relations with the U.S. administration.
As an example he cited Donald Trump’s eight months in the White House, when it became clear that the American President «could not reach any agreement with the president of the Russian Federation.»
«The question is not at all who is the President of the United States — the question is who is the president of the Russian Federation, ” Portnikov said, recalling that Putin disappointed even Trump.
In Portnikov’s view, the key to a realistic negotiation process is the demonstration of military force that would directly threaten Russian strategic targets.
He commented on U.S. discussions over the possible transfer of «Tomahawk» missiles to Ukraine (which, among others, JD Vance has spoken about). Portnikov believes that it is precisely this long‑range weapon that is the «real possibility to force the President of Russia to take part in negotiations.»
The point is that the appearance of such missiles will make Putin realise that they threaten centres of power, military enterprises, units and strategic airfields on Russian territory. That will mean «the game will no longer be one‑sided.»
The journalist is convinced that if Ukraine receives permission to strike important strategic Russian targets with long‑range weapons, Putin will understand that the war needs to be ended not on the border with Poland or Hungary, but on the current front line.
«Then Putin will gain an understanding… at least so as not to risk losing the territories occupied by Russia in the future. And then one can talk about Russia returning to the negotiating table, ” Portnikov concluded, adding that this will happen not through the restoration of trust, but solely because of the need to finish the war.