logo
Ukraine war briefing: Don't bomb Moscow, Trump says, after reportedly giving Zelenskyy the idea

Ukraine war briefing: Don't bomb Moscow, Trump says, after reportedly giving Zelenskyy the idea

The Guardian16-07-2025
Donald Trump has said Volodymyr Zelenskyy should not bomb Moscow. His statement came soon after the Financial Times (£) reported he had asked Zelenskyy whether he could bomb Moscow, and privately encouraged Ukraine to step up deep strikes on Russia. 'No, he shouldn't target Moscow,' the US president said on Tuesday when asked if the Ukrainian president should attack the Russian capital. Asked if he intended to supply Ukraine with weapons that could reach deeper into Russian territory, Trump replied: 'We're not looking to do that.'
Ukraine on Tuesday was waiting for further details of the 'billions of dollars' worth of US military equipment promised by Donald Trump, amid confusion as to how many Patriot air defence systems will be sent. On Monday, Trump said an unnamed country was ready to immediately provide '17 Patriots'. Ukraine is believed so far to possess six functioning Patriot air defence 'batteries' – the truck-based radar and launch systems that fire the missiles. It was unclear if Trump was referring to the launch systems, the interceptor missiles that are their ammunition, or whether he understood the difference.
Several European countries said they were willing to buy US arms for Ukraine as outlined by Trump but did not yet know what was being asked of them. Washington officials have suggested that European countries will give up some of their own stocks of weapons for Ukraine and then buy replacements from the US. It would get weapons to Ukraine more quickly, but leave the donor countries waiting for new systems for their own defence.
Some US lawmakers voiced concern that Trump's latest deadline – 50 days this time – for Putin to make peace gives him time to grab even more Ukrainian territory. Thom Tillis, a Republican senator from North Carolina, said: 'The 50-day delay worries me that Putin would try to use the 50 days to win the war, or to be better positioned to negotiate a peace agreement after having murdered and potentially collected more ground. Tillis and Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, lead a US Senate group that facilitates work between Congress and Nato.
Russian drones and missiles attacked widely separated areas of Ukraine, officials said in the early hours of Wednesday, with at least two people reported killed. National emergency services reported two deaths in drone strikes east of the north-eastern city of Kharkiv near the town of Kupiansk. In Kharkiv itself, the regional governor, Oleh Syniehubov, said at least 17 explosions were recorded in a 20-minute drone attack in which three people were injured. The head of the military administration in the south-eastern town of Kryvyi Rih, Oleksander Vilkul, said an extended missile and drones attack knocked out power and water supplies and caused injuries. The Kyiv mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said air defence units had gone into action in the capital.
Earlier, a Russian attack on Tuesday afternoon killed three people in Kupiansk and Sumy, Ukrainian authorities said. Russian officials said a Ukrainian drone attack on the western city of Voronezh wounded 27 people.
The Institute for the Study of war assessed that Ukrainian forces recently advanced in northern Sumy oblast; while Russian forces recently advanced near Kupiansk, Borova, and Toretsk.
The EU was unable to approve a new package of sanctions against Russia on Tuesday as Slovakia demanded more guarantees that it would not be harmed by a separate EU plan to phase out Russian gas. The EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she was 'really sad' the sanctions did not get approved, adding that 'the ball is in Slovakia's court' and she hoped a deal could be reached on Wednesday.
Ukrainians celebrated Melania Trump on social media after Donald Trump suggested the first lady played a key role in pointing out to him Vladimir Putin's duplicity, Luke Harding writes. 'I go home, I tell the first lady: I spoke with Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation. She said: Really? Another city was just hit,' Trump said. One social media user posted a photo of 'Agent Melania Trumpenko' looking surreptitious in a big hat and wearing a blazer with Ukraine's trident insignia. Others depicted her being presented with a Ukrainian military cap and wearing the blue and yellow of Ukraine's flag.
pic.twitter.com/5CvwwlyNPw
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Zelensky announces new anti-corruption Bill after public outcry and EU criticism
Zelensky announces new anti-corruption Bill after public outcry and EU criticism

BreakingNews.ie

time5 minutes ago

  • BreakingNews.ie

Zelensky announces new anti-corruption Bill after public outcry and EU criticism

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he is sending a new anti-corruption Bill to Ukraine's Parliament on Thursday, in a further attempt to defuse tensions after he approved changes to corruption laws that brought a public outcry and sharp criticism from the European Union. Opponents of the contentious law passed by politicians and approved by Mr Zelensky earlier this week said that it stripped Ukraine's anti-corruption watchdogs of their independence by granting the government more oversight of their work. Advertisement Mr Zelensky said it was needed to speed up investigations, ensure more convictions and remove 'Russian influence' from the fight against corruption, though he did not provide examples of Russian meddling. In an abrupt change of course on Thursday, Mr Zelensky unexpectedly said that he had drawn up a new draft Bill on corruption that 'guarantees the real strengthening of the law and order system in Ukraine'. 'The most important thing is real tools, no Russian connections, and the independence of the (watchdogs),' he said in a Telegram post. The declaration appeared to bow to recent pressure that threatened to undermine public trust in Ukraine's leaders after more than three years of fighting Russia's full-scale invasion. Advertisement The protests have not called for Mr Zelensky ousting, but they are the first major anti-government demonstrations since the war began. 'It is important that we maintain unity,' Mr Zelensky said in his post. The announcement also left some questions unanswered. Volodymyr Zelensky attending the parliament session in Kyiv on Thursday (Vadym Sarakhan/AP) Mr Zelensky had said on Wednesday that he met the heads of Ukraine's key anti-corruption and security agencies and gave them two weeks to make recommendations on how the graft law could be improved before he presented another Bill to Parliament. It is unclear what becomes of that effort to seek their input. Advertisement Despite that assurance of new legislation, further street protests were scheduled for Thursday evening. The new pronouncement also left unclear whether Mr Zelensky intended to revoke the law that he approved earlier in the week after Parliament had passed it. He did not publicise details about the proposed new law. The unrest has come at a difficult time in the all-out war, which began on February 24 2022. Russia's bigger army is accelerating its efforts to pierce Ukraine's frontline defences and is escalating its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. Ukraine is also facing a question mark over whether the United States will provide more military aid and whether European commitments can take up the slack, with no end in sight to the war. Advertisement Delegations from Russia and Ukraine met in Istanbul for a third round of talks in as many months on Wednesday. But once again, the talks were brief and delivered no major breakthrough. Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of dollars in Western aid in the war. It is also an effort that enjoys broad public support. EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos expressed concern on Wednesday over the new law, calling it 'a serious step back'. The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International criticizsed parliament's decision, saying it undermines one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014 and damages trust with international partners. Advertisement People look at a ruined city market following Russia's drone attack in Odesa on Thursday (Michael Shtekel/AP) Meanwhile, two women aged 48 and 59 were killed and 14 other people were injured when Russian forces dropped four powerful glide bombs on Kostiantynivka, an industrial city in eastern Ukraine, and shelled it with artillery, Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin said. Russian planes also dropped two glide bombs on the centre of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, on Thursday morning, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. At least 42 people were wounded, including two babies, a 10-year-old girl and two 17 year olds, authorities said. The southern city of Odesa, and Cherkasy in central Ukraine, were also hit overnight, authorities said. The drone and missile strikes on the cities wounded 11 people, including a nine-year-old, and damaged historic landmarks and residential buildings, officials said. Ukraine has sought to step up its own long-range drone attacks on Russia, using domestic technology and manufacturing. An overnight Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi killed two women and wounded 11 other people, local authorities said Thursday. An oil depot was hit, officials said, without offering details.

Hulk Hogan rips off his shirt at RNC in support of Trump in resurfaced clip after WWE star's sudden death
Hulk Hogan rips off his shirt at RNC in support of Trump in resurfaced clip after WWE star's sudden death

The Independent

time6 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Hulk Hogan rips off his shirt at RNC in support of Trump in resurfaced clip after WWE star's sudden death

Former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan famously ripped off his shirt in support of Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention last summer, in a resurfaced clip following his death. Hogan spoke at the RNC on behalf of Trump as part of his re-election campaign. The WWE legend's death was announced by TMZ on Thursday (24 July). He was 71. Medics were reportedly called to Hogan's Clearwater, Florida, home Thursday morning. In May, a spokesperson for the retired wrestling legend, 71, told TMZ that he had undergone 'a little fusion procedure' on his neck.

Starmer and Zelensky discuss anti-corruption in call
Starmer and Zelensky discuss anti-corruption in call

The Independent

time6 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Starmer and Zelensky discuss anti-corruption in call

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky have discussed the 'importance' of anti-corruption measures after the Ukrainian president faced protests over a controversial piece of legislation. Mr Zelensky said that he raised his plans to ensure 'the independence and effectiveness of Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure' with the Prime Minister after his government in Kyiv faced their first major protests since the outbreak of war three years ago. On Thursday the Ukrainian president announced that he would send a new anti-corruption Bill to the country's parliament. Thousands of people gathered on the streets of Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine earlier this week protesting against legislation that will tighten oversight of two anti-corruption agencies. The two leaders also spoke about sanctions on Russian energy revenues in a call on Thursday, Downing Street said. Giving a read-out of their conversation, a Number 10 spokesperson said that the men 'agreed international partners must continue to ramp up the pressure on Russia'. The spokesperson added: 'The Prime Minister underlined the UK's unwavering support for Ukraine, and the leaders agreed on the importance of the role of independent anti-corruption institutions at the heart of Ukraine's democracy. 'Both leaders underscored that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin must come to the negotiation table and agree an unconditional ceasefire to see a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.' Mr Zelensky said that they had a 'very good and substantive conversation' when they talked on Thursday. In a post on X he said that he 'spoke about the preparation of a bill aimed at strengthening the legal system and ensuring the independence and effectiveness of Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure'. The Prime Minister 'suggested involving experts who could contribute to long-term cooperation', Mr Zelensky added. Mr Zelensky and Sir Keir spoke in person last month when the Ukrainian leader was hosted by Number 10.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store