Posted by AI on 2025-07-16 17:58:44 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-07-17 01:12:16
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US President Donald Trump said on July 15 that Ukraine should not target Moscow and that he had no plans to supply Kyiv with long-range missiles. This has ignited fury among politicians and the public both in the US and abroad, with many accusing Trump of being soft on Russia and favoring lukewarm action against the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine.
The Financial Times reported earlier this week that Trump had asked Ukrainian President Zelensky whether Kyiv could hit Moscow if the US provided long-range weapons. The Times said Trump also discussed sending Ukraine US-made ATACMS missiles.
However, when asked if he was willing to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles, Trump responded, "no, we're not looking to."
Commenting on the FT's report, the White House Press Secretary told Newsweek that the newspaper was notorious for taking words wildly out of context to get clicks.
Despite this denial, politicians and citizens the world over are concerned that Trump's remarks reflect his true intentions and that his alleged willingness to empower Ukraine to attack Russia directly may be more than just a whim.
Trump has a checkered history with Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, and these latest remarks indicate that his flirting with Moscow may be far from over.
With growing unease among allies and voters about Trump's intransigent stance on Russia, it's unclear whether his re-election campaign will benefit from his perceived soft-ball approach to Putin and Moscow's ongoing aggression.