Trump says Ukraine should not target Moscow

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Ukraine should not target Moscow, after the Kremlin charged that a new US plan to supply weapons to Kyiv along with sanctions threats against Russia would delay peace efforts.

Trump on Monday gave Russia 50 days to strike a peace deal with Ukraine, voicing exasperation with Moscow, and announcing that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members would supply Kyiv with new military aid.

In what would be an even more extraordinary shift, the Financial Times reported that Trump spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about providing US missiles to hit Moscow.

But asked by reporters at the White House if Zelensky should look at striking the Russian capital, Trump replied: “No, he shouldn’t target Moscow.”

Meanwhile, Russia fired 400 drones, artillery and a ballistic missile at Ukraine between late Tuesday and early Wednesday, Ukraine said, defying calls by Donald Trump to reach a peace deal.

The attacks left one woman dead and wounded more than two dozen people across multiple regions, while a missile attack cut power and water in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s home city of Kryvyi Rig, according to authorities.

The bombardment came two days after US President Trump threatened to impose severe sanctions against the country unless it reached a peace settlement within 50 days to end its three-year war on Ukraine.

Overnight drone attacks on the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia left eight wounded, while three were wounded in an attack on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, local authorities said.

Russian attacks on the city of Kryvyi Rig wounded at least 15 people, destroyed an industrial building and disrupted power and water supplies, according to local officials.

Moscow said it needed more time to respond fully to Trump’s Monday announcement, but suggested it was not conducive to diplomacy.

“It seems that such a decision made in Washington and in NATO countries and directly in Brussels will be perceived by Kyiv not as a signal for peace but for the continuation of the war,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.