Putin panic as Trump urges Ukraine to 'bomb' Moscow

U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to escalate attacks on Russia—including strikes on Moscow and even St. Petersburg—as tensions with Vladimir Putin reach a new low.

According to Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, Trump directly asked Zelensky in a recent phone call:

“Why haven’t you struck Moscow?”

Zelensky is said to have responded, “We can if you give us the weapons,” prompting Trump to allegedly encourage attacks not only on Moscow but also on Russia’s second-largest city, St. Petersburg. While Ukraine has launched drone strikes targeting Russian military infrastructure behind the frontlines, hitting either city with advanced weapons would represent a major escalation in the conflict.

Trump’s sharp rhetoric comes alongside a newly announced U.S. military aid package for Ukraine. The package, unveiled Sunday during Trump’s meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, will include advanced Patriot missile defense systems and what the president described as “top-of-the-line weapons”—though no specific details were released.

“We’re providing missiles and ammunition,” Trump said, while confirming Ukraine would soon receive additional air defense capabilities designed to intercept Russian ballistic threats.

The U.S. President also confirmed he's delaying new secondary tariffs—reportedly up to 100% on Russian goods—for another 50 days, suggesting he still hopes to negotiate. But he didn’t mince words about Putin, telling the BBC that the Russian leader has been talking “a lot of bulls***” about Ukraine, and adding, “I’m not done with Putin yet.”

The possibility of sending Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine is also reportedly under consideration. These missiles, capable of reaching deep into Russian territory if launched from Ukraine, were previously used in U.S. strikes against Iranian targets.

While Trump’s relationship with Putin once appeared cordial, recent developments suggest a stark deterioration. His administration’s growing military support for Kyiv—and increasingly confrontational tone toward Moscow—marks a significant shift.

Whether this pressure strategy leads to negotiations or further escalates the war remains to be seen.