The Pentagon has told the White House it may give Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles. U.S. stockpiles would not be affected, but the final decision rests with President Donald Trump, three U.S. and European officials said.

Donald Trump said earlier this month, during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, that he would prefer not to provide the missiles to Ukraine because"we don't want to give away things that we need to protect our country."

The Joint Chiefs of Staff told the White House that the missiles could be sent without any problems, even before the meeting with Zelensky. He demanded that the missiles be more effective in hitting Russian oil and energy facilities.

European officials believe the United States now has fewer reasons to refuse to supply the missiles.

Trump also said, a few days before the meeting, that the US has"a lot of Tomahawk missiles" available for Ukraine.

However, a few days later, Trump changed his tone and said during the meeting that the US"needs" Tomahawk missiles.

The president then told Volodymyr Zelensky, behind closed doors, that the United States would not supply them.

This decision came after Trump spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who told him that the missiles could hit major Russian cities, such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, and that they"would not have a significant impact on the battlefield, but would damage the US-Russia relationship," CNN reported.

President Trump has not ruled out providing the missiles, and the administration has prepared plans to send them quickly if he gives the order.

Angered by Vladimir Putin's lack of interest in negotiations, Trump approved new sanctions against Russian oil companies and postponed a meeting with Putin in Budapest.