President Trump reportedly asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their July 4 call whether Ukrainian forces would be capable of striking Moscow if the U.S. provided long-range weapons, according to The Financial Times, citing sources familiar with the conversation.
The report suggests President Trump pressed Zelensky on the possibility of expanding Ukraine’s deep-strike capabilities against Russia — a notable shift from his past calls for a quick end to the war.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded sharply, accusing the outlet of misrepresenting Trump’s intentions.
“The Financial Times is notorious for twisting words out of context to chase clicks,” Leavitt said in a statement to HuffPost. “President Trump simply asked a question. He was not encouraging escalation or more violence. In fact, he is working tirelessly to stop the bloodshed and bring this war to an end.”
The report came just one day after President Trump issued a stern public warning to Vladimir Putin, saying the U.S. would take action if Russia failed to end the war within 50 days.