Trump Walks Back Reported Support for Ukrainian Strikes on Moscow, Says Goal Is to ‘Stop the Killing’

WASHINGTON —(Voice of Malaysia)— U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday denied encouraging Ukraine to launch attacks on Moscow, telling reporters on the White House South Lawn that President Volodymyr Zelensky “shouldn’t target Moscow.”

The remark came just hours after The Financial Times reported that, during a 4 July phone call, Trump privately asked Zelensky whether Ukrainian forces could strike the Russian capital if Washington supplied long‑range ATACMS missiles. Reuters The story triggered a flurry of questions about how far the White House is prepared to go in arming Kyiv for deep‑reach operations inside Russia.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected claims that the president was urging escalation. “President Trump was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing. He is working tirelessly to stop the killing and end this war,” she said in a statement to Newsweek, according to media reports.

Trump’s comments dovetail with a wider pressure campaign unveiled this week that gives Russian President Vladimir Putin 50 days to accept a cease‑fire in Ukraine or face an expanded sanctions regime and “severe tariffs” on nations that continue buying Russian oil. He defended the timeline as “not very long” and insisted he is “on humanity’s side.”

While the president disavowed strikes on Moscow, he confirmed that a new tranche of U.S. weaponry—including Patriot air‑defense missiles sourced from German stockpiles—was already en route to Ukraine. The administration has not ruled out future deliveries of longer-range systems, but no decision has been announced.

Ukrainian officials have not publicly commented on the alleged request to target Moscow. Russian Deputy Security Council Chair Dmitry Medvedev dismissed Trump’s new 50‑day ultimatum as a “theatrical” gesture and said Moscow would not negotiate under threat.

• Congressional Input: Lawmakers from both parties are pressing the administration for clarity on its escalation thresholds and the scope of any future missile transfers.

• European Coordination: EU and NATO officials are scrambling to align sanctions policy with Washington’s 50‑day deadline while ensuring uninterrupted military support for Kyiv.

• Strategic Calculus: Analysts say Trump’s latest stance may be designed to couple hard‑line pressure on Russia with limits aimed at preventing a direct U.S.–Russia confrontation.

Whether the president’s public caution will ease Kremlin concerns—or merely buys time ahead of a new sanctions wave—could determine the next phase of the 40‑month‑old conflict.