Donald Trump has privately discussed striking Moscow with Volodymyr Zelensky, as he considers whether to send long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, according to reports.
In a recent phone call, Mr Trump asked his Ukrainian counterpart why he had not struck Moscow to ramp up the pressure on the Kremlin. “We can, if you give us the weapons,” Mr Zelensky responded, a source told the The Washington Post.
The US president has privately encouraged Kyiv to step up strikes deep in Russian territory, the Financial Times reported.
He is considering sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, one of the weapons used by the US in its dramatic strikes on Iran last month, according to the Post.
Mr Trump has committed billions of dollars of American weapons to Ukraine, a significant boost to Ukraine’s war effort and the relationship between Kyiv and Washington.
The medium-to-long-range cruise missiles could reach Moscow – but they are not currently on the list of supplies the US is due to send.
It comes after the US president said he is “disappointed but not done” with Russian president Vladimir Putin after threatening 100 per cent secondary tariffs on Moscow if it fails to agree a peace deal within 50 days.
Trump says Zelensky should not target Moscow
Donald Trump has said Volodymyr Zelensky should not target Moscow and that Russian President Vladimir Putin should agree to a ceasefire deal by a 50-day deadline or sanctions will kick in.
His comments came after The Financial Times, citing people briefed on discussions, reported on Tuesday that Trump had privately encouraged Ukraine to step up deep strikes on Russia.
The newspaper added that Trump asked Zelensky whether he could strike Moscow if the U.S. provided long-range weapons.
“No, he shouldn’t target Moscow,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House when asked if Zelensky should attack the Russian capital.
Jabed Ahmed15 July 2025 20:12
Watch: Trump seems surprised that Putin doesn’t honor his word
Alex Croft15 July 2025 20:02
Russia fires 267 drones at Ukraine overnight
Russian forces fired 267 drones at Ukraine overnight into Tuesday, Kyiv’s air force has said.
Air defences destroyed a total of 178 of these drones, while 23 strikes were recorded across seven locations.
Drones were fired across the north, south, east and centre of the country form Monday afternoon into Tuesday.
Around 66 decoy drones disappeared from the radar or were suppressed by electronic warfare, the air force added according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Alex Croft15 July 2025 19:00
Lammy welcomes Trump’s decision to allow Kyiv to use US weapons
British foreign minister David Lammy has welcomed Donald Trump’s decision to allow US military equipment to be used by Ukrainian forces.
“Good discussion with [US secretary of state] @marcorubio last night,” Mr Lammy wrote on X.
“I welcomed President Trump’s decision enabling NATO Allies to purchase vital US military equipment for Ukraine’s defence, including Patriots, and his threat of tariffs if there is no peace deal in 50 days.”
Alex Croft15 July 2025 18:31
Moscow ready to negotiate after Trump sanctions threat, says minister
Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Tuesday that Moscow is ready to negotiate after US president Donald Trump threatened sanctions on buyers of Russian exports
But Ryabkov added that Russia did not warm to ultimatums.
Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine on Monday and threatened to levy sanctions on buyers of Russian exports unless Moscow agrees to a peace deal in Ukraine.
Alex Croft15 July 2025 18:01
‘Trump did not go as far as Russian markets had feared’
Artyom Nikolayev, an analyst from financial information firm Invest Era, said the US president Donald Trump did not go as far as Russian markets had feared.
“Trump performed below market expectations. He gave 50 days during which the Russian leadership can come up with something and extend the negotiation track. Moreover, Trump likes to postpone and extend such deadlines,” he said.
Alex Croft15 July 2025 17:29
Trump changes tune on Nato
Donald Trump, once a fierce critic of the Nato, is now far more positive about the future of the military alliance.
The US president was asked by the BBC whether Nato had become “obsolete” – a word he has used to describe it before.
“No. I think Nato is now becoming the opposite of that,” he told the broadcaster, adding that the alliance is “paying their own bills”.
In late June, Nato allies agreed to boost their defence spending to 5 per cent of gross domestic product, a move the White House had repeatedly demanded since taking office.
Mr Trump added that he still believes in collective defence to allow smaller countries to defend themselves against bigger ones.
Alex Croft15 July 2025 17:00
Zelensky thanks Trump after he threatens fresh sanctions on Russia
Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Donald Trump last night after the US president threatened a fresh batch of heavy sanctions on Russia if Vladimir Putin fails to reach a peace deal.
Mr Trump warned on Monday that he would implement 100 per cent tariffs “if we don’t have a deal in 50 days”.
The Ukrainian president held a phone call with Mr Trump after the US president had met with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte in the White House on Monday.
“It was a very good conversation,” Mr Zelensky said after the phone call. “Thank you for the willingness to support Ukraine and to continue working together to stop the killings and establish a lasting and just peace.
“It’s important that we have such a good relationship, and that the Alliance countries are working to increase defense spending.”
The pair discussed how to protect Ukraine from Russian attacks and agreed to catch up more often by phone, Mr Zelensky added.
Alex Croft15 July 2025 16:30
Trump ‘still believes Russia will win’ – report
Donald Trump still believes Russia will win the war against Ukraine, despite committing a significant military aid package to Kyiv.
The US president has grown increasingly frustrated by Vladimir Putin and has become more willing to directly support Kyiv in its defence against Russia – but a White House official told Politico that he still believes Moscow holds the cards.
“The president’s view is Russia is going to win, it’s a matter of how long it takes,” the official said.
They added that this is because Russia has a larger economy and bigger army, with “more than enough bodies to throw into the meat grinder”.
“And although they are making slow progress, they are still making progress. The president just wants to stop the killing,” they added.
Alex Croft15 July 2025 16:11
In pictures: US Tomahawk missiles in action
Alex Croft15 July 2025 15:50