The president’s call for Ukraine to avoid hitting Moscow continued his pattern of swinging between pressure on both sides to end the war and underscored the uncertainties about his strategy.

President Donald Trump, fresh off reaching a new agreement with NATO to arm Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion, cautioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky against launching direct military strikes against the Russian capital.

President Trump told reporters that Ukraine should not target Moscow following a report that he advised Ukraine to ramp up its attacks.

Trump wanted to "make them feel the pain," as he put it on the July 4 call, the Financial Times reported, and force Russia into peace negotiations. Zelensky said Ukraine could hit the cities if the U.S. supplied the weapons, per the Post.

Donald Trump has said Volodymyr Zelensky should not target Moscow after reportedly privately discussing strikes on the Russian capital with the Ukrainian leader."No, he shouldn't target Moscow," Mr Trump told reporters yesterday on the South Lawn of the White House when asked if Mr Zelensky should attack the Russian capital.

The large-scale, long-range attacks targeted energy infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X.

Donald Trump asked Volodymyr Zelenskiy whether Ukraine could strike Moscow, an inquiry that the White House says was merely a question but one that came hours after he voiced frustration at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to accept a ceasefire in the war.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy should not target Moscow. His comments come 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.

Former Trump White House advisor turned MAGA podcaster, Steve Bannon, warned on Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s new hardline against Russia The post ‘Trip Into Nuclear War’: Bannon Sounds the Alarm on Report Trump Wants to Give Ukraine Long-Range Missiles to Bomb Moscow first appeared on Mediaite.