Published: 09:51, July 16, 2025
FT: Trump asks Zelensky if Ukraine could hit Moscow
By Xinhua
In this file photo dated Feb 28, 2025, US President Donald Trump (right) meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. (PHOTO / AP)

LONDON/MOSCOW/BRUSSELS/PRAGUE - US President Donald Trump has encouraged Kyiv to escalate deep strikes into Russian territory, even asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky whether Moscow could be targeted if long-range weapons were supplied, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

"Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow? ... Can you hit St. Petersburg, too?" Trump asked during the call on July 4, and Zelensky replied: "Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons," the Financial Times reported, citing two people familiar with the conversation.

The phone talk took place just one day after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a conversation the US president reportedly described as "bad".

According to the report released by the Financial Times, although it remains uncertain whether the United States will move forward with supplying the requested weapons, sources familiar with the matter said Trump appeared eager to explore more aggressive military options to pressure Moscow into negotiations.

The report added that the White House and Ukraine's presidential office did not respond to requests for comment.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov looks on as he attends a meeting between Russia's President and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Moscow on May 10, 2025, during celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. (PHOTO / POOL / AFP)

Ready for talks with Ukraine

On Tuesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia remains ready for further talks with Ukraine but has not received proposals for a meeting from Kyiv.

"They want to see this dialogue in Washington, they want to see it in Europe, allegedly," Peskov said.

Russia and Ukraine held two rounds of direct talks on May 16 and June 2 in Istanbul, Turkiye. Putin previously said that both sides agreed to hold a third round of talks after the completion of the exchange of prisoners of war and the transfer of bodies of fallen soldiers as negotiated in previous talks.

ALSO READ: Trump says US to supply Patriot missiles to Ukraine

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas talks with journalists as she arrives for an EU foreign ministers meeting at the EU Council building in Brussels on July 15, 2025. (PHOTO / AP)

EU fails to approve new Russia sanctions

Meanwhile, the European Union failed to approve a new round of sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, as the move was blocked by Slovakia over concerns related to energy security, according to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.

Speaking after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Kallas said she was "really sad" the sanctions didn't get approved, adding that "the ball is in Slovakia's court".

The European Commission unveiled its 18th sanctions package last month, targeting Russia's energy sector, banking operations, and defense industry. Among the proposed measures is a ban on financial transactions involving Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines.

Slovakia, which relies heavily on Russian gas, objected to the proposed package, citing fears of supply disruptions and rising energy costs linked to a separate EU proposal to phase out Russian gas imports by early 2028.

Czech Republic's Prime Minister Petr Fiala looks on during a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street in London on July 14, 2025. (PHOTO / AFP)

Purchase of US weapons for Ukraine

In another development, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the Czech Republic will not join the purchase of US weapons for Ukraine at this time.

US President Donald Trump announced on Monday an agreement with the NATO regarding weapons to assist Ukraine. Under the agreement, governments of Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada will finance bulk purchases from US manufacturers and ship the equipment directly to Kyiv.

READ MORE: Kyiv says US resuming aid for Ukraine

"The Czech Republic is focusing on other projects and ways to help Ukraine," Fiala told local media Publico.