Trump Says Zelenskyy Should Not Target Moscow After Report Claimed He Encouraged Kyiv
Donald Trump urged Zelenskyy not to strike Moscow as he threatened tariffs on Russia if the war doesn't end in 50 days.
US President Donald Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy not to launch strikes on Moscow, following reports that he had formerly suggested doing precisely that during a private phone call. According to the Financial Times, Donald Trump asked Zelenskyy on July 4 whether Ukraine could strike Moscow and St. Petersburg if given long-range US weapons such as ATACMS missiles.
As per the report, Zelenskyy replied, 'Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons." Despite this, Donald Trump took a notably softer public stance, stating that Ukraine 'should not target Moscow" while he continued to criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of breaking promises and extending the war.
Zelenskyy has not publicly commented on the July 4 phone call but has consistently emphasized Ukraine's right to defend itself and strike military targets within Russian territory- especially as Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities have escalated in recent weeks. Ukraine is in its fourth year of full-scale war following Russia's 2022 invasion and Zelenskyy has urged Western allies to sustain military support, particularly in the form of air defense systems, long-range missiles and drone interceptors.
Kremlin Reacts To Donald Trump's Remarks
In reaction to Donald Trump's escalated support for Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that the move may undermine peace efforts, expressing concern that it would be met as 'a signal for continuation of the war".
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First Published:
July 15, 2025, 23:10 IST
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