Donald Trump said Tuesday that Ukraine should not target Moscow and that he has no plans to supply Kyiv with long-range missiles, following a report claiming he encouraged President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to strike the Russian capital.
The Financial Times reported that Trump raised the idea of a potential counteroffensive during a recent call with Zelenskyy and allegedly asked whether Ukraine could hit Moscow if the United States provided long-range weapons.
When asked by reporters at the White House whether Zelenskyy should target Moscow, Trump said, “No, he shouldn’t target Moscow.” He also dismissed the idea of supplying long-range missiles, saying, “No, we’re not looking to.”
The Times cited two people familiar with the July 4 call, which reportedly came a day after Trump held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The report also said Trump discussed the possibility of sending U.S.-made ATACMS missiles to Ukraine.
Trump, who has repeatedly pledged to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of returning to the White House, said he is “disappointed” in Putin for continuing attacks on Ukraine despite their conversations.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected the Times’ reporting, calling the paper “notorious for taking words wildly out of context to get clicks.”
“President Trump was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing,” Leavitt said. “He’s working tirelessly to stop the killing and end this war.”
