United States President Donald Trump has stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should not target Moscow, despite earlier reports suggesting Trump encouraged Kyiv to step up strikes deep inside Russian territory.
In a conversation with reporters at the White House, Trump was asked whether Zelenskyy should target Moscow, to which he replied, “No, he shouldn’t target Moscow.” Trump also clarified that the US is not considering providing Kyiv with longer-range missiles, stating, “No, we’re not looking to”.
This development comes after The Financial Times reported that Trump had asked Zelenskyy whether he could hit Moscow and St Petersburg if supplied with weapons with enough range, during their phone call on July 4. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the report, saying that Trump’s question was merely a query and not an encouragement of further violence. “President Trump was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing,” Leavitt said.
Trump’s comments mark a shift in his stance on the war, as he had previously cast Washington’s support for Ukraine as a drain on the US and accused Zelenskyy of hindering efforts to make peace. However, Trump’s tone has changed in recent weeks amid growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to negotiate an end to the invasion. Trump announced that he would supply more weapons to Ukraine and threatened to impose steep secondary tariffs on Russia’s trade partners if a peace deal is not reached within 50 days.
The Kremlin has responded to Trump’s statements, saying that they are “very serious” and require time to analyze. “We certainly need time to analyse what was said in Washington,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow. “And if and when President Putin deems it necessary, he will definitely comment”.
When asked if he was on Ukraine’s side, Trump replied, “I am on nobody’s side,” and then declared he was on “humanity’s side” because “I want to stop the killing”. Trump’s stance on the conflict appears to prioritize diplomacy, as he emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution within 50 days to avoid severe tariffs and sanctions on countries trading with Russia.