In a dramatic turnabout, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (July 15) said that Ukraine should not attack Moscow, refuting the media reports that he had urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to bomb the Russian capital during a recent phone call.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said bluntly, "No, he shouldn't target Moscow."
When questioned about whether the United States was considering sending long-range missiles to Kyiv, Trump responded, “No, we’re not looking to.”
His remarks followed just a day after he introduced what he called a firmer approach toward Russia, which includes an increase in military assistance to Ukraine.
A Financial Times report earlier claimed that Trump had provocatively questioned Zelenskyy on a July 4 call, "Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow? Can you hit St Petersburg too?" According to the report, Zelenskyy reportedly answered, "Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons." The report also said Trump told Zelenskyy that targeting Russian major cities could "make them [Russians] feel the pain" and potentially get President Vladimir Putin to negotiate.
Addressing from the South Lawn, Trump dissociated himself from the claims, saying, "I am on nobody's side. I am on humanity's side because I want to stop the killing."
A Trump spokesperson later explained that the former president's inquiry was a hypothetical and not an urge to move hostilities forward. "President Trump was simply asking a question, not to spur more violence," the spokesman said. "He's working around the clock to end the killing and bring an end to this war."
Trump also proclaimed disappointment in Putin's role in the war, stating that even with the Russian leader participating in mediating peace in various other crises around the world, Ukraine's war still lingers unsolved. Accusing the current administration of the US, he called it "a Biden war, not a Trump war," claiming once again that he wanted to tone down the US involvement.
In his new stance, Trump has given Russia a 50-day ultimatum, requiring a ceasefire or risk severe economic penalties, including increased sanctions and energy tariffs.
By the end of 50 days, if we don't have a deal, it's going to be too bad," Trump threatened, but he didn't provide any details on what any possible agreement would look like. Justifying the concise deadline, he continued, "I don't think 50 days is very long—and it could be sooner than that." He went on to threaten, "If there's no deal in 50 days, we'll impose secondary tariffs—100 percent. That's how it's going to be.
These remarks come on the heels of the Pentagon suspending its military shipments to Ukraine, a move that sent indications of a possible change of course.
Trump reiterated, meanwhile, at a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, that the US will shortly be supplying NATO member nations with billions of dollars' worth of cutting-edge American-made arms. "We are going to make top-of-the-line weapons, and they will go to NATO," he stated.
Read also| Trump Queried Zelenskiy on Ukraine’s Ability to Strike Moscow: FT Report
