US President Donald Trump publicly stated on Tuesday that he has advised Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky against launching missile strikes on Moscow, contradicting media claims that he encouraged deep strikes into Russian territory.
The comment follows a report by the Financial Times, which claimed Trump had privately asked Zelensky whether Kiev could strike Moscow and St. Petersburg if provided with American-made long-range weapons. According to the report, Zelensky allegedly confirmed Ukraine’s capability.
When questioned by reporters about whether Ukraine should target the Russian capital, Trump replied bluntly:
Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s White House press secretary, blasted the FT article, claiming it deliberately distorted the president’s words.
“The Financial Times is notorious for taking words wildly out of context to get clicks because their paper is dying,” she said.
Leavitt insisted that Trump had simply asked a question during a conversation and did not instruct or imply support for such an action. She emphasized that the president remains focused on ending the conflict, not escalating it:
“He is working tirelessly to stop the killing and end this war.”
Responding to the report, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that Western media frequently disseminates unverified claims but acknowledged that “sometimes there are indeed serious leaks.”
The FT story also came days after Trump issued a 50-day ultimatum to Russia, threatening steep secondary tariffs on trade partners if no progress is made in peace talks. Trump has also promised future weapons deliveries to Ukraine, to be paid for by European NATO states.
While Trump has expressed support for a negotiated resolution since returning to office in January, peace talks between Moscow and Kiev have seen little progress. Two rounds of discussions in Istanbul this year yielded only prisoner exchanges, with no broader agreement reached.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed on Tuesday that EU and NATO figures are placing “improper pressure” on Trump, pushing him toward a more aggressive stance.