Trump's Sudden Shift on Ukraine Policy: Disagreement on Striking Moscow

US President Donald Trump recently advised Ukraine not to target Moscow. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday (July 15), Trump stated that Ukraine should not make Russia's capital, Moscow, a target.

A report, citing two unnamed sources, had previously indicated that on July 4, during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump had encouraged him to intensify strikes deep inside Russian territory. He had even reportedly asked Zelenskyy if Ukraine could hit Moscow and St. Petersburg if supplied with long-range weaponry.

However, contradicting this report, Trump told reporters on Tuesday that Ukraine should not target Moscow. He further added that the United States is "not looking" at providing Kyiv with longer-range missiles.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to confirm the discussion in a statement provided to multiple media outlets but stated that it had been "taken out of context." Leavitt clarified, "President Trump was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing."

Last Monday, Trump announced a significant shift in his stance on the Ukraine war. He declared that the United States would supply more weapons to Ukraine and threatened to impose steep secondary tariffs on Russia's trade partners if a peace deal is not reached within 50 days.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump had repeatedly characterized Washington's support for Ukraine as a burden on the US and accused Zelenskyy of hindering peace efforts. However, the US President's tone has shifted in recent weeks amid growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to negotiate an end to his invasion.