Trump wanted to "make them feel the pain," as he put it on the July 4 call, the FT reported, and force Russia into peace negotiations. Zelensky said Ukraine could hit the cities if the U.S. supplied the weapons, per the Post.

U.S. President Donald Trump has privately encouraged Ukraine to step up deep strikes on Russian territory, even asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy whether he could strike Moscow if the U.S.

Ukraine could soon bomb the heart of Russia – on the request of Donald Trump – if the US provides long-range weapons, it is alleged. It is understood that the US president has – very privately – encouraged his Ukrainian counterpart to step up attacks and even hit Moscow.