Washington (TDI): President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Ukraine should not launch strikes on Moscow and clarified he has no intention of providing Kyiv with long-range missiles, pushing back on reports suggesting otherwise.
His comments followed a report which claimed that Trump, during a recent call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, discussed the possibility of Ukraine targeting Russia’s capital if given access to long-range weapons.
The report cited two sources familiar with the July 4 conversation, one that reportedly came just a day after Trump’s separate call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
When asked directly by reporters at the White House whether Zelensky should target Moscow, Trump responded bluntly: “No, he shouldn’t target Moscow.” Pressed further on whether he planned to supply such missiles, Trump added, “No, we’re not looking to.”
Read More: Trump Warns Putin ‘Playing with Fire’ Amid Intensified Ukraine Strikes
It was reported earlier that the July 4 call included discussion of US-made ATACMS missiles, which could theoretically give Ukraine the ability to strike deep into Russian territory. The report has sparked concern about whether Washington’s stance on arms deliveries might escalate the already prolonged conflict.
In response, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the report.
Read More: Trump Slams Putin as ‘Absolutely Crazy’ Over Ukraine Attacks
Trump has previously pledged to bring the war in Ukraine to a halt within 24 hours of taking office if re-elected. But he has also expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he’s been “disappointed” by the Kremlin’s continued military aggression, despite their private conversations.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
