United States President Donald Trump has publicly cautioned Ukraine against launching strikes on Moscow, following reports that he had earlier asked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy whether Kyiv could target Russian cities if supplied with long-range weaponry.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said plainly that Ukrainian forces should “not” target the Russian capital, even as the administration continues to reevaluate its military support to Kyiv amid the ongoing war with Russia.
“We’re not looking at providing Kyiv with longer-range missiles,” Trump said, in a statement that appeared to clarify recent reports suggesting a possible escalation in U.S. involvement.
The comments came after a Financial Times report claimed Trump, during a July 4 phone call with Zelenskyy, asked whether Ukraine could strike Moscow and St Petersburg if given weapons with enough range. The report cited two anonymous sources familiar with the conversation.
While the White House has not denied the exchange, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the question was taken out of context.
“President Trump was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing,” Leavitt said in a statement issued to several U.S. media outlets, including ABC News and USA Today.
The clarification follows Trump’s surprising pivot on Ukraine this week. On Monday, the U.S. president announced he would supply additional weapons to the Ukrainian military and warned that steep secondary tariffs would be imposed on countries trading with Russia if a peace agreement isn’t reached within 50 days.
The shift marks a significant turn from Trump’s previous posture. Since returning to office in January, he has frequently called U.S. support for Ukraine a “drain” on American resources and criticized Zelenskyy for allegedly obstructing peace talks.
However, in recent weeks, Trump has hardened his rhetoric toward Moscow amid growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to engage in meaningful negotiations to end the war, now entering its third year.
The Kremlin has taken note of Trump’s recent comments. Speaking to reporters in Moscow on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Trump’s remarks—including the threat of sanctions—as “very serious.”
“We certainly need time to analyse what was said in Washington,” Peskov stated. “And if and when President Putin deems it necessary, he will definitely comment.”
The evolving tone from Washington comes amid mounting pressure on both sides to reengage in diplomacy. Analysts suggest Trump’s dual approach—reaffirming military support while issuing economic ultimatums—reflects a new effort to bring Putin back to the negotiating table.
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