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16th July 2025
07:36am BST
Donald Trump has told Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy "not to target Moscow" after it was reported that he asked him "if he could hit Moscow".
The Financial Times reported that, during a private call on 4 July, The US president asked Zelenskyy: "Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow? . . . Can you hit St Petersburg too?"
Zelenskyy is reported to have replied: "Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons."
However, now, after appearing to give his Ukrainian counterpart the idea, Trump has said that he is encouraging the opposite of this approach.
Yesterday, 15 July, Trump said he was "not looking to do that".
In a statement from the White House to the BBC, it was explained that Trump was "merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing".
"He's working tirelessly to stop the killing and end this war", continued the statement.
It comes after the US President said Russia would be hit by 'very severe tariffs' if they don't agree to a ceasefire within the next 50 days.
In a joint press conference with NATO chief Mark Rutte, Trump said that the US is "going to make top-of-the-line weapons" to send to NATO, and that they will be paid for by the EU.
Rutte said that the deal means Ukraine will get their hands on "really massive numbers of military equipment" for air defence, ammunition and missiles.
Trump is said to be 'very unhappy' with Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine.
