Donald Trump has privately discussed striking Moscow with Volodymyr Zelensky, as he considers whether to send long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, according to reports.
In a recent phone call, Mr Trump asked his Ukrainian counterpart why he had not struck Moscow to ramp up the pressure on Moscow. “We can, if you give us the weapons," Mr Zelensky responded, a source told the The Washington Post.
He has privately encouraged Kyiv to step up strikes deep in Russian territory, the Financial Times reported.
The US president is considering sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, one of the weapons used by the US in its dramatic strikes on Iran last month, according to the Post.
Mr Trump has committed billions of dollars of American weapons to Ukraine, a significant boost to Ukraine’s war effort and the relationship between Kyiv and Washington.
The medium-to-long-range cruise missiles could reach Moscow - but they are not currently on the list of supplies the US is due to send.
It comes after the US president said he is “disappointed but not done” with Russian president Vladimir Putin after threatening 100 per cent secondary tariffs on Moscow if it fails to agree a peace deal within 50 days.
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Key Points
- Trump 'may send Tomahawk missiles' after asking Zelensky if he could strike Moscow
- Explained | What are Tomahawk cruise missiles?
- Trump says 'disappointed but not done' with Putin
- Kremlin: Trump's threats are 'very serious'
- Who is Yulia Svyrydenko, named by Zelensky as next Ukraine PM?
- Trump threatens Russia with sanctions if no peace deal reached in 50 days
Putin unfazed by Trump threats, claim Kremlin sources
14:42
,
Alex Croft
Vladimir Putin will continue fighting in Ukraine and is unfazed by Donald Trump’s threat of further sanctions, three sources close to the Kremlin have told Reuters news agency.
Moscow’s territorial demands may widen as Russian troops advance in the war-torn country, the sources added.
They said the Russian president believes Russia’s economy and military are strong enough to weather additional Western measures
Mr Trump on Monday expressed frustration with Putin's refusal to agree a ceasefire and announced a wave of weapons supplies to Ukraine, including Patriot surface-to-air missile systems. He also threatened further sanctions on Russia unless a peace deal was reached within 50 days.
"Putin thinks no one has seriously engaged with him on the details of peace in Ukraine - including the Americans - so he will continue until he gets what he wants," one of the sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
"Putin values the relationship with Trump and had good discussions with Witkoff, but the interests of Russia come above all else," the person added.
Ukrainian PM officially resigns
14:27
,
Alex Croft
Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal said on Tuesday he had officially filed a resignation letter, as a part of a major governmental reshuffle expected this week.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday nominated first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko for the post.
Sweden to help boost arms supplies to Ukraine, says defence minister
14:04
,
Alex Croft
Sweden will contribute to efforts to boost arms supplies to Ukraine following US president Donald Trump's decision to supply billions of dollars of weapons, including Patriot missile systems, via Nato.
"We welcome the American decision to make possible increased sanctions against Russia and to pave the way for the delivery of Patriots and other weapon systems to Ukraine," Swedish defence minister Pal Jonson said in an emailed comment to Reuters.
"Sweden will contribute." Jonson did not provide further about the support.
In pictures: Sumy region in flames after Russian drone attack
13:50
,
Alex Croft
Analysis | Trump is looking at making money out of Nato – not saving Ukraine
13:38
,
Alex Croft
Donald Trump has not turned against Vladimir Putin. Rather, he has just announced a big day of future sales for the US arms industry with a buying bonanza for Ukraine by Nato.
With the secretary general of Nato sitting next to him in the Oval Office, the US president warned that Russia would face “100 per cent” tariffs if it did not agree to a ceasefire with Kyiv inside 50 days.
He went on to criticise Putin several times for his warm approach and manner on the telephone which he then followed up by renewed missile attacks on Ukraine.
World affairs editor Sam Kiley writes:
Trump pledges more Patriots for Ukraine in coming days - ICYMI
13:27
,
Alex Croft
US president Donald Trump has said billions of dollars of US weapons would go to Ukraine, including more than a dozen Patriot air defence missiles.
"We're going to make top-of-the-line weapons, and they'll be sent to Nato," Mr Trump said, adding that Washington's Nato allies would pay for them.
The weapons would include Patriot air defence missiles Ukraine has urgently sought, he said.
"It's a full complement with the batteries," Mr Trump said. "We're going to have some come very soon, within days."
"We have one country that has 17 Patriots getting ready to be shipped... we're going to work a deal where the 17 will go or a big portion of the 17 will go to the war site,” he said.
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, who was sitting alongside Mr Trump in the Oval Office, said Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada all wanted to be a part of rearming Ukraine.
Moscow does not understand Trump's motivations behind recent comments, says Lavrov
13:12
,
Alex Croft
Moscow wants to understand what motivated US president Donald Trump's statement that Russia must agree to a peace deal in Ukraine within a 50-day deadline, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Lavrov, speaking at a press conference at the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Foreign Ministers meeting in the Chinese city Tianjin, said he had no doubt that Russia will cope with any new sanctions.
Watch: Trump threatens Russia with sanctions and tariffs if peace with Ukraine is not reached in 50 days
12:57
,
Alex Croft
Trump changes tune on Nato
12:42
,
Alex Croft
Donald Trump, once a fierce critic of the Nato, is now far more positive about the future of the military alliance.
The US president was asked by the BBC whether Nato had become “obsolete” - a word he has used to describe it before.
"No. I think Nato is now becoming the opposite of that,” he told the broadcaster, adding that the alliance is “paying their own bills”.
In late June, Nato allies agreed to boost their defence spending to 5 per cent of gross domestic product, a move the White House had repeatedly demanded since taking office.
Mr Trump added that he still believes in collective defence to allow smaller countries to defend themselves against bigger ones.
Russia fires 267 drones at Ukraine overnight
12:27
,
Alex Croft
Russian forces fired 267 drones at Ukraine overnight into Tuesday, Kyiv’s air force has said.
Air defences destroyed a total of 178 of these drones, while 23 strikes were recorded across seven locations.
Drones were fired across the north, south, east and centre of the country form Monday afternoon into Tuesday.
Around 66 decoy drones disappeared from the radar or were suppressed by electronic warfare, the air force added according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Lammy welcomes Trump's decision to allow Kyiv to use US weapons
12:11
,
Alex Croft
British foreign minister David Lammy has welcomed Donald Trump’s decision to allow US military equipment to be used by Ukrainian forces.
“Good discussion with [US secretary of state] @marcorubio last night,” Mr Lammy wrote on X.
“I welcomed President Trump’s decision enabling NATO Allies to purchase vital US military equipment for Ukraine’s defence, including Patriots, and his threat of tariffs if there is no peace deal in 50 days.”
Good discussion with @marcorubio last night.
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) July 15, 2025
I welcomed President Trump’s decision enabling NATO Allies to purchase vital US military equipment for Ukraine’s defence, including Patriots, and his threat of tariffs if there is no peace deal in 50 days.
'Trump did not go as far as Russian markets had feared'
11:51
,
Alex Croft
Artyom Nikolayev, an analyst from financial information firm Invest Era, said the US president Donald Trump did not go as far as Russian markets had feared.
"Trump performed below market expectations. He gave 50 days during which the Russian leadership can come up with something and extend the negotiation track. Moreover, Trump likes to postpone and extend such deadlines," he told Reuters news agency.
Kremlin: Trump's threats are 'very serious'
11:34
,
Alex Croft
The Kremlin has responded to Donald Trump’s recent threats against Russia, describing them as “very serious”.
In a major policy shift underscoring his growing frustration with president Vladimir Putin, Mr Trump on Monday announced new deliveries of weapons to Ukraine and threatened secondary tariffs on Moscow if it fails to agree a peace deal on Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded: "The US president's statements are very serious. Some of them are addressed personally to President Putin.
"We certainly need time to analyse what was said in Washington. And if and when president Putin deems it necessary, he will definitely comment."
Peskov continued, apparently referring to news of fresh weapons deliveries to Kyiv: "Decisions which are being made in Washington, in NATO countries, and squarely in Brussels, are perceived by the Ukrainian side not as a signal for peace, but as a signal to continue the war."
In pictures: US Tomahawk missiles in action
11:29
,
Alex Croft
Moscow ready to negotiate after Trump sanctions threat, says minister
11:12
,
Alex Croft
Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Tuesday that Moscow is ready to negotiate after US president Donald Trump threatened sanctions on buyers of Russian exports
But Ryabkov added that Russia did not warm to ultimatums.
Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine on Monday and threatened to levy sanctions on buyers of Russian exports unless Moscow agrees to a peace deal in Ukraine.
What are the Tomahawk cruise missiles Trump could send to Ukraine?
10:52
,
Alex Croft
Technology editor and science reporter Andrew Griffin writes:
The Tomahawk missile has been in use since it was developed in the late 1970s. While it has undergone a range of different upgrades, it maintains the same basic design that dropped as part of the first Gulf War in 1991.
And the system for firing them is much the same too. The missiles – weighing in at 3,500 pounds and measuring 20 feet long – are flung at 550 miles an hour from the cruisers, destroyers and submarines that carry them.
Once they hit the air they open out 3.5-foot wings, allowing them to trundle along quietly, close to the ground, until they’re needed.
Strapped to the missiles are a set of explosives, ready to destroy wherever they land. But they also carry with them a host of technologies: GPS and other mapping tools, satellite connections and a navigation system and connection that means that they can loiter around in the air, awaiting the message that they should drop down – and be flown into specific locations once they are.
The same thing that makes them so useful and so fearsome – their power, precision and price – is also what makes them such a significant statement. Preparing and firing a Tomahawk is a costly and careful procedure, one that is only activated when the US and its navy intends to make a destructive and deadly point.
Yulia Svyrydenko: Ukraine’s new prime minister who masterminded key Trump deal
10:39
,
Alex Croft
President Volodymyr Zelensky has named Yulia Svyrydenko as Ukraine’s new prime minister in the latest reshuffle of his cabinet.
Ms Svyrydenko, 39, has been serving as first deputy prime minister and economic development and trade minister since November 2021. She had been appointed to lead the revival of Ukraine’s struggling economy only months before Russia invaded in February 2022 and made her task more difficult.
Mr Zelensky met with Ms Svyrydenko on Monday and discussed the “implementation of agreements with European and American partners regarding support for Ukraine reached during the recent Ukraine Recovery Conference”.
If her nomination is approved by parliament, which appears likely, Ms Svyrydenko will replace Denys Shmyhal, who is poised to take over as the war-torn country’s defence minister.
Arpan Rai reports:
Trump 'still believes Russia will win' - report
10:13
,
Alex Croft
Donald Trump still believes Russia will win the war against Ukraine, despite committing a significant military aid package to Kyiv.
The US president has grown increasingly frustrated by Vladimir Putin and has become more willing to directly support Kyiv in its defence against Russia - but a White House official told Politico that he still believes Moscow holds the cards.
"The president’s view is Russia is going to win, it’s a matter of how long it takes," the official said.
They added that this is because Russia has a larger economy and bigger army, with "more than enough bodies to throw into the meat grinder".
"And although they are making slow progress, they are still making progress. The president just wants to stop the killing," they added.
In pictures: Ukraine installs anti-drone nets on roads
10:02
,
Alex Croft
Commentary | In a deeply weird NATO presser, ‘Daddy’ Trump made one announcement — and then another, and then another
09:47
,
Alex Croft
We have now seen a number of White House press conferences between Trump and world leaders attempting to remain cordial with him. I say press conferences, but really it’s just a succession of people finding out that if you sit beside Trump and smile for long enough without contradicting him, he will keep pushing into freewheeling absurdity, and you will inevitably get hit with some of the splatter.
Wrapping up, Daddy rewarded Rutte by calling him a “star”. If you think this is a deeply unserious way in which to approach a new weapons deal with Ukraine, a succession of global tariffs and a continuing conflict in which thousands of innocents have been killed, you’re absolutely correct — and you’re absolutely out-of-touch. Because this is modern-day diplomacy, baby. Putin’s out; NATO’s in, and Donald has a new apple of his eye.
Read more here:
Trump 'likely' to allow Ukraine to use 18 ATACMS missiles - report
09:34
,
Alex Croft
Donald Trump is “likely” to allow Kyiv to use 18 long-range ATACMS missiles, which are already stationed in Ukraine, with a full range of 300 kilometres, according to a report.
A source told the Washington Post that Mr Trump’s announcement of boosted military aid will likely include the powerful offensive weapons, which will allow Kyiv to strike military bases and supply depots deep inside Russia.
Ukrainian forces have previously been permitted to use the missiles but have been subjected to range limits. Russia has repeatedly moved their aircraft beyond the reach of the range limit, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
Kyiv was first allowed to use ATACMS missiles in September, when former president Joe Biden gave way to months of pressure from Ukraine and its allies.
Pictured: Firefighters battle flames after Russian attack on Kharkiv region
09:19
,
Alex Croft
Denmark will 'do its part' to finance Patriot systems for Ukraine
09:11
,
Alex Croft
Denmark will "do its part" to potentially finance the delivery of US-made Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine, Danish foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Tuesday.
"After some U.S. hesitation, it seems that they have joined the right side ... and would hand over the Patriot systems, if they can be financed. And Denmark will also do its part here," Mr Rasmussen told journalists in Brussels.
Mr Trump has committed 17 Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine.
Trump promised weapons to Kyiv because he 'believed Putin did not respect him'
08:59
,
Alex Croft
Donald Trump’s belief that Russian president Vladimir Putin did not respect him led him to promise Kyiv a new batch of offensive weapons, according to a report.
The US president has sanctioned a fresh wave of military aid for Kyiv, the first new package of his administration.
The Washington Post reports that there were three key reasons behind this escalation, citing a source close to the discussions within the White House.
Firstly, Mr Trump felt that Putin did not respect him, after repeatedly ignoring Washington’s calls for a ceasefire despite indicating that he wanted peace,
Secondly, he had seen the success of using US military force against Iran in the use of B-2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles. As we earlier reported, Mr Trump is considering sending the medium-to-long range missiles to Kyiv, according to the same source.
Thirdly, following six months of negotiation attempts with Putin, Mr Trump conclude that Putin would only agree to negotiations when under greater force.
Watch: Zelensky thanks Trump after US president threatens Putin with sanctions if no peace in Ukraine in 50 days
08:52
,
Alex Croft
Trump 'may send Tomahawk cruise missiles' after asking Zelensky if he could strike Moscow - report- report
08:46
,
Alex Croft
Donald Trump has considered sending to Ukraine Tomahawk cruise missiles which could strike Moscow and St Petersburg, the Washington Post is reporting.
The missiles are not yet included in the list of supplies which Washington is due to send to Kyiv, but may be delivered if the US president wants to utilise more leverage against Russia.
During a conversation last week, the outlet reported, Mr Trump asked Volodymyr Zelensky why he had not struck Moscow to increase the pressure on Russia, according to a source.
“We can, if you give us the weapons," Mr Zelensky responded.
In pictures: Sumy region in flames after Russian drone attack
08:30
,
Alex Croft
EU closing in on fresh package of sanctions against Moscow
08:14
,
Alex Croft
EU countries are closing in on a new package of sanctions against Russia, the bloc's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday.
"We hope to reach a political agreement on the 18th sanctions package. We are very, very close. I hope it comes today," Ms Kallas said before a meeting with foreign affairs ministers from the 27 EU countries in Brussels.
Sources told Reuters news agency on Monday that all the elements of the package had been agreed, although one member state still had a reservation about a proposed lower price cap on Russian oil.
"It's alive," Kallas said when asked about the price cap.
"We have made proposals, but it is a question of whether we can overcome the veto of one member state or not. But we are trying to work on that."
The new package proposes banning transactions with Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines, as well as banks that engage in sanctions circumvention.
It also proposes a floating price cap on Russian oil of 15% below the average market price of crude in the previous three months, EU diplomats have said.
Moscow hits out at Trump's 'theatrical ultimatum'
07:49
,
Alex Croft
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has hit out at Donald Trump’s “theatrical ultimatum” after the US president’s threat of fresh sanctions on Moscow.
The US president has given Moscow 50 days to reach a peace deal if they wish to avoid 100 per cent secondary tariffs, adding on Monday that Washington would provide a new batch of weapons for Ukraine.
"Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences," Medvedev wrote on X.
"Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn't care," he added.
Trump changes tune on Nato
07:35
,
Alex Croft
Donald Trump, once a fierce critic of the Nato, is now far more positive about the future of the military alliance.
The US president was asked by the BBC whether Nato had become “obsolete” - a word he has used to describe it before.
"No. I think Nato is now becoming the opposite of that,” he told the broadcaster, adding that the alliance is “paying their own bills”.
In late June, Nato allies agreed to boost their defence spending to 5 per cent of gross domestic product, a move the White House had repeatedly demanded since taking office.
Mr Trump added that he still believes in collective defence to allow smaller countries to defend themselves against bigger ones.
Zelensky thanks Trump after he threatens fresh sanctions on Russia
07:25
,
Alex Croft
Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Donald Trump last night after the US president threatened a fresh batch of heavy sanctions on Russia if Vladimir Putin fails to reach a peace deal.
Mr Trump warned on Monday that he would implement 100 per cent tariffs “if we don’t have a deal in 50 days”.
The Ukrainian president held a phone call with Mr Trump after the US president had met with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte in the White House on Monday.
“It was a very good conversation,” Mr Zelensky said after the phone call. “Thank you for the willingness to support Ukraine and to continue working together to stop the killings and establish a lasting and just peace.
“It’s important that we have such a good relationship, and that the Alliance countries are working to increase defense spending.”
The pair discussed how to protect Ukraine from Russian attacks and agreed to catch up more often by phone, Mr Zelensky added.
Who is Yulia Svyrydenko, named by Zelensky as next Ukraine PM?
07:08
,
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has offered Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko a chance to serve as the country’s prime minister in a cabinet rejig.
The 39-year-old leader has served Ukraine in one of its first successful negotiations with the US on minerals deal. She is an economist and has served as first deputy prime minister since 2021.
When she signed the minerals deal with the Trump administration, Ms Svyrydenko repaired the fractured ties between Mr Zelensky and the US president after their public Oval Office spat.
She flew to Washington and said that the new fund would “attract global investment into our country”.
"Another milestone on the path to launching the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund: Ukraine has completed all necessary procedures on schedule," Ms Svyrydenko wrote in English on social media.
Shortly after the deal, ties between Kyiv and Washington normalised.
Writing on X, Ms Svyrydenko yesterday said she would pursue deregulation, cut back bureaucracy, protect business and reduce non-critical expenditure to achieve the "full concentration of state resources" for defence and post-war recovery.
Trump 'disappointed but not done' with Putin after announcing tariffs
06:57
,
Arpan Rai
Donald Trump said he was disappointed but not done with Russian president Vladimir Putin as he hinted at not trusting the Kremlin leader.
In a BBC interview published today, hours after Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine and threatened Russia with sanctions, the US president said: "I'm disappointed in him (Putin), but I'm not done with him. But I'm disappointed in him.
"We'll have a great conversation. I'll say: 'That's good, I'll think we're close to getting it done,' and then he'll knock down a building in Kyiv," the president added.
On being asked if he trusted the Kremlin leader, Mr Trump said: “I trust almost no-one”.
Zelensky and Kellogg discuss joint arms production and defences
06:25
,
Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says he had "a productive conversation" with US president Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia about strengthening Ukrainian air defences, joint arms production and purchasing US weapons in conjunction with European countries.
The two also talked about the possibility of tighter international sanctions on the Kremlin.
Mr Zelensky, who met retired Lt Gen Keith Kellogg in Kyiv, wrote on social media: "We hope for the leadership of the United States, because it is clear that Moscow will not stop unless its ... ambitions are stopped by force."
I met with @generalkellogg, the U.S. Special Envoy. We had a productive conversation.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 14, 2025
We discussed the path to peace and what we can practically do together to bring it closer. This includes strengthening Ukraine’s air defense, joint production, and procurement of defense… pic.twitter.com/TCxJwU6q9N
Several people injured in Russia as 55 Ukrainian drones downed overnight
06:20
,
Arpan Rai
Several people were injured and houses and non-residential buildings were damaged as a result of Ukraine's overnight drone attack on Russia, regional officials said.
The drones were downed in Russia's southwestern regions of Lipetsk and Voronezh, regional governors said this morning.
The Russian defence ministry said on Telegram that its units destroyed 55 Ukrainian drones overnight over five Russian regions and the Black Sea, including three over the Lipetsk region.
The full extent of damage from the attacks was not immediately known. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine about the attack.
Russia's air defence units destroyed 12 drones over the Voronezh region that borders Ukraine, governor Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.
"Unfortunately, there were injuries," Mr Gusev said. "In central Voronezh, several people sustained minor injuries due to debris from a downed UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles)."
Several apartments in multi-storey buildings in the city of Voronezh that is the administrative centre of the broader Voronezh region were damaged, as well as houses in the suburbs, Mr Gusev said.
Additionally, several commercial facilities throughout the region were damaged by falling drone debris, he said, without providing further details.
In the city of Yelets in the Lipetsk region a drone crashed in an industrial zone, regional governor Igor Artamonov said on Telegram.
"One person was injured and is receiving all necessary medical assistance," Mr Artamonov said.
Trump says his sanctions threat is led by frustration with Putin
05:16
,
Arpan Rai
Donald Trump said his shift in imposing punitive actions on Russia was motivated by frustration with Vladimir Putin.
"We actually had probably four times a deal. And then the deal wouldn't happen because bombs would be thrown out that night and you'd say we're not making any deals," Mr Trump said.
Last week he said, "We get a lot of bulls*** thrown at us by Putin."
Since returning to the White House promising a quick end to the war, Mr Trump has sought rapprochement with Moscow, speaking several times with Mr Putin.
His administration has pulled back from pro-Ukrainian policies such as backing Kyiv's membership in Nato and demanding Russia withdraw from all Ukrainian territory.
But the Russian leader has yet to accept a proposal from Mr Trump for an unconditional ceasefire, which was quickly endorsed by Kyiv. Recent days have seen Russia use hundreds of drones to attack Ukrainian cities.
