Donald Trump has ruled out sending long-range missiles to Ukraine, despite earlier reports that he was weighing up supplying Kyiv with weapons capable of reaching the Russian capital.
When asked on Tuesday whether the US would deliver such deep-strike weapons to Ukrainian forces, the President responded:
“No, we’re not looking to do that.”
He also urged restraint from Ukrainian forces, adding:
“I’m on nobody’s side. You know whose side I’m on? Humanity’s side.”
‘Can You Hit Moscow?’
According to the Financial Times, Trump had previously pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call on 4 July about the possibility of escalating Ukraine’s capabilities.
“Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow?… Can you hit St Petersburg too?” he reportedly asked.
President Zelenskyy responded:
“Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons.”
The exchange is said to have come as US aides presented Ukraine with a list of potential long-range weapon systems that could be transferred via third-party nations. Among the weapons reportedly under consideration were Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of up to 1,600km, well within reach of key Russian targets.
White House Pushes Back
The White House has since moved to clarify Trump’s remarks. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the President’s comments had been taken out of context.
“President Trump was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing,” she said.
“He’s working tirelessly to stop the killing and end this war.”
A 50-Day Ultimatum
The missile decision follows Trump’s announcement that Russia will face “very severe tariffs” if a ceasefire with Ukraine is not achieved within 50 days. The pressure reflects growing frustration inside the White House over Moscow’s continued aggression.
“Trump is really pissed at Putin. His announcement tomorrow is going to be very aggressive,” Senator Lindsey Graham told Axios.
Despite his warning against escalation, Trump has confirmed plans to send Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine, citing their urgent need.
“Putin talks nice but then he bombs everyone in the evening,” Trump said.
“I’m disappointed in Russia, but we’ll see what happens over the next couple of weeks.”
NATO to Supply Arms, Funded by EU
In a joint press conference this week, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that the United States will supply “top-of-the-line weapons” to NATO, with the European Union footing the bill.
Under the agreement, Ukraine is expected to receive a massive volume of military equipment, including air defence systems, missiles and ammunition.
“Ukraine will get its hands on really massive numbers of military equipment,” said Rutte.
