US President Donald Trump clarifies Ukraine should not target Moscow after weapons deal

US President Donald Trump has been forced to clarify whether he asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky if he could bomb Moscow if provided with long-range US weapons.

According to the Financial Times, Mr Trump asked Mr Zelensky during a phone call on July 4, “Can you hit Moscow?..... Can you hit St Petersburg too?”

It is understood that Mr Zelensky responded, “Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons.”

Mr Trump said it was a way to make Russia “feel the pain” and force Russian President Vladimir Putin into a ceasefire agreement.

However, Mr Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he isn’t looking to deliver Kyiv longer-range missiles that could strike targets deeper into Russia.

“No, we’re not looking to do that,” he said.

Mr Trump added that that Mr Zelensky “shouldn’t target Moscow” and admitted he wasn’t taking any particular side in the ongoing conflict.

“I’m on nobody’s side,” he said. “You know whose side I’m on? Humanity’s side.”

After the Financial Times reported on Mr Trump’s question, the White House said the US President’s words had been taken out of context.

“President Trump was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing. He’s working tirelessly to stop the killing and end this war,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN.

Mr Trump on Monday announced a toughened stance against Russia for its three-year-old war in Ukraine, promising a fresh wave of missiles and other weaponry for Ukraine.

He also gave Russia 50 days to reach a ceasefire or face sanctions.

Mr Trump defended the deadline he set for Russia to agree to a deal and head off tariffs and sanctions on countries that buy oil from Russia.

“I don’t think 50 days is very long and it could be sooner than that,” he said.

He did not say whether any talks were planned to try to work out a deal with Russia.

“At the end of the 50 days if we don’t have a deal, it’s going to be too bad,” he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a briefing on Tuesday that Russia was considering its next steps.

“We will certainly need time to analyse the rhetoric from Washington,” he said, the TASS news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that NATO’s arms deliveries to Ukraine showed that the alliance was interested in continuing the fighting.

with DPA