Trump Urged Ukraine to Strike Deep Inside Russia, Report Reveals

US President Donald Trump privately urged Ukraine to ramp up attacks deep inside Russian territory and even asked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy if Kyiv could strike Moscow if supplied with long-range weapons. Trump made the comments during a call with Zelenskyy on July 4, a day after he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Financial Times reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

Trump also reportedly discussed the potential delivery of US-made ATACMS missiles to Ukraine. Trump later expressed disappointment with his conversation with Putin, saying the Russian leader did not seem interested in ending the war in Ukraine. This comes weeks after the Pentagon halted arms deliveries to Ukraine.

Speaking from the Oval Office alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump confirmed that billions of dollars' worth of US-made weapons would soon be sent to NATO allies. \"We are going to produce top-of-the-line weapons, and they will go to NATO,\" Trump told reporters.

Trump has also been putting pressure on Russia to end its war on Ukraine and issued a warning to Putin, threatening \"severe\" tariffs if a ceasefire is not reached within the next 50 days. \"If there's no deal in 50 days, we'll impose secondary tariffs - 100 percent. That's how it's going to be,\" he announced.

Among the military aid being considered is a set of Patriot air defence systems that Ukraine has been urgently requesting. Trump said a full package, including the missile batteries, would be sent shortly. \"There's one country with 17 Patriots ready for shipment,\" he said. \"We're working on a deal to send those - either all or a significant portion - to the war zone in Ukraine,\" Trump added.

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Published By: Atul Mishra Published On: Jul 15, 2025