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Trump Says He’s “On Humanity’s Side,” Rejects JASSM Missiles for Ukraine
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![Photo of Liubava Petriv]( "Photo of Liubava Petriv")
US President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine not to target Moscow with long-range weapons, while reaffirming his push for a negotiated end to the ongoing war with Russia, according to Sky News on July 15.
The comments follow reports in the Financial Times that Trump had recently asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy whether Kyiv could strike Moscow and St Petersburg, should the US agree to supply advanced missile systems. The conversation reportedly took place during a phone call on 4 July.
However, speaking to reporters outside the White House earlier today, Trump clarified his position:
“No, he shouldn’t target Moscow.”
He went on to say that he is “going to see what happens with Russian leader Putin,” after issuing the Kremlin a 50-day ultimatum to reach a peace agreement or face a sweeping package of economic measures—including “severe” tariffs on nations continuing trade with Russia.
While the US is planning to expand its defensive support to Ukraine, including the provision of Patriot missile systems, Trump maintained a position of neutrality in relation to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“I’m on nobody’s side. I’m on humanity’s side,” he said. “I want to stop the killing of thousands of people a week.”
Trump also stated that he does not plan to supply Ukraine with long-range JASSM missiles.
“We’re not looking to do that,” Trump told reporters ahead of his departure from the White House for an energy investment event in Pittsburgh.
A White House spokesperson later said Trump’s question to Zelenskyy had been misinterpreted.
“President Trump was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing. He’s working tirelessly to stop the killing and end this war,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement to Newsweek.
Meanwhile, Moscow’s Foreign Ministry dismissed Trump’s 50-day ultimatum, downplaying the call for a peace agreement. Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko described the deadline as “very strange” and claimed that “to date, one party is physically absent—that is the Ukrainian side.” He further argued that urging only Russia to negotiate reflected a lack of genuine Western interest in peace.
Earlier, it was reported that European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has welcomed US President Donald Trump’s tougher stance on Russia but criticized the 50-day deadline he has reportedly given Moscow to negotiate a peace deal, calling it “a very long time” given the ongoing civilian casualties in Ukraine.
