Is Ukraine planning to hit Moscow? Major threat to Putin as Trump promises Zelensky deadliest long-range weapons, secretly orders....

India.com

16-07-2025

Amid US President Donald Trump call for imposing 100 per cent 'secondary tariffs' on Moscow if Russian President Vladimir Putin fails to end the conflict in Ukraine within 50 days, Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal have warned countries, including India, of economic sanctions if they continue business with Russia. In addition, U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider attacking Russia. In a private conversation, Trump asked Zelensky directly whether Ukraine could strike at Moscow and St. Petersburg if the U.S. supplied them with weapons of greater impact.
UK outlet Financial Times published the bombshell, citing sources familiar with the matter. According to the report, Trump quizzed Zelensky about whether Ukraine could strike inside Russia. The conversation allegedly occurred on July 4 — U.S. Independence Day — when Trump directly asked Zelensky if Ukraine could attack Moscow and St. Petersburg. Zelensky answered, 'Absolutely.' The Financial Times reported the incendiary conversation occurred a day after Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin, a call Trump later described as 'bad.' Where could Ukraine potentially strike inside Russia?
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump announced fresh military support for Ukraine and threatened sweeping tariffs on Russia's trading partners, in a bid to pressure Moscow into ending its war within 50 days, The Hill reported. As per The Hill, Trump unveiled the plan during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, stating that Europe would bear the cost of advanced American weaponry, including Patriot missile systems, which are vital to defend Kyiv from intensified Russian air assaults.'These weapons can move quickly to Kyiv,' Trump said, while stopping short of offering specific timelines. The move follows NATO's recent decision to boost collective defense spending, the outlet noted. What are Trump's new demands regarding Russia and its allies?
Trump offered a blunt ultimatum. If Russia does not take any steps toward a ceasefire or a peace agreement in the next 50 days, the U.S. will impose sanctions on countries that continue to buy oil and gas from Russia, which includes countries like China and India. As per a joint statement by Graham and Blumenthal, China, India, Brazil, and other nations 'that prop up Putin's war machine' by purchasing 'cheap Russian oil and gas', which that claim is fuelling Putin's effort in the conflict with Russia. It called for the imposition of tariffs as high as 500 per cent on any country that helps Russia. Trump announced 'secondary tariffs' on Russia during his meeting with NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte on Monday (US local time).
Experts believe that Trump's request for Ukraine to hit hard behind Russian lines demonstrates his frustration and rage that he cannot stop Ukraine from the war, and push Russia beyond its ability to wage further conflict against Ukraine. Why could Russia's retaliation lead to NATO invoking Article 5?
Trump has strenuously suggested that he was going to end the war. However, now he is speaking of supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles to hurt Russia and push it back to the negotiation table. Two high-level sources told the Financial Times that there is increasing support from U.S. officials to give Ukraine the long-range missiles.
However, experts caution that if the U.S. were to provide weapons to Ukraine that could strike deep inside Russia and particularly target cities such as Moscow, the situation could become very serious.
Zelensky has wanted to attack inside Russia from the beginning, and America's backing could only propel the world into a catastrophic war. Russia could not only respond to all major Ukrainian cities in retaliation, but it could also target military bases of NATO allies like Poland and Romania. This could create serious discussions within NATO about invoking Article 5, which declares that an attack on one member is an attack on all.
Trump stated that Ukraine would receive weapons worth billions of dollars. He mentioned advanced weapons would be manufactured and sent to NATO as well. He added that Washington's NATO allies would pay for them. These weapons are for Patriot air defense systems to protect Ukraine from counterattack by Russia. Trump also said that the system was a full system with batteries.