Trump instructs Zelensky not to strike Moscow
(MENAFN) U.S. President Donald Trump clarified on Tuesday that he had advised Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky against launching missile strikes on Moscow. His remarks were a response to media speculation suggesting he had encouraged Ukraine to carry out deep attacks inside Russian territory.
According to a report from the Financial Times (FT), Trump had privately asked Zelensky whether Ukraine would be able to target Moscow and St. Petersburg if provided with long-range weapons. Zelensky reportedly said it was possible.
When asked directly by reporters if he believed Zelensky should strike Moscow, Trump replied, “No, he shouldn’t target Moscow.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized the FT report, accusing the outlet of misrepresenting Trump’s comments for publicity, calling it “notorious for taking words wildly out of context.” She emphasized that Trump was simply posing a question, not promoting violence, and reiterated that he remains committed to ending the conflict and saving lives.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also commented on the report, cautioning that such stories often turn out to be false but acknowledged that even previously respected outlets can experience serious leaks.
The FT article followed Trump’s recent ultimatum to Russia, in which he threatened heavy secondary tariffs on countries trading with Moscow unless there is progress towards peace within 50 days. Trump also confirmed plans for Ukraine to receive advanced weaponry, financed by European NATO members.
Since taking office in January, Trump has consistently expressed his desire to see peace between Ukraine and Russia and has had several conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin focused on resolving the conflict.
Moscow maintains it is open to dialogue with Kiev but has yet to receive confirmation on when further talks might occur. Earlier this year, Russia and Ukraine held two rounds of direct negotiations in Istanbul, resulting only in agreements on prisoner exchanges without significant progress towards a broader settlement.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov remarked Tuesday that EU and NATO leaders have pressured Trump into adopting a tougher stance on the conflict than he initially intended.
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