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From today's La Presse, translation by PerplexityAI:

Donald Trump Urges Ukraine Not to Target Moscow

Key Developments

Donald Trump’s Statement: On Tuesday, former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly declared that Ukraine should not target Russia’s capital, Moscow, amid the ongoing war with Russia. Responding to press reports, Trump clarified, “No, he should not target Moscow,” and added that the United States would not supply Ukraine with long-range missiles.

Military Aid and Ultimatum: Trump announced additional military support for Ukraine, notably billions of dollars’ worth of equipment such as Patriot air defense systems. This aid is to be purchased by European NATO allies, including Germany, the UK, Finland, Canada, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

50-Day Deadline: Trump gave Russia 50 days to end its offensive in Ukraine, which began in February 2022. Failure to do so would result in severe U.S. sanctions, including “secondary tariffs” against Russia’s key trading partners. Last year, Russia’s main trading partners were China (34% of trade volume), followed by India, Turkey, and Belarus.

Kremlin Response: Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov criticized the U.S. and NATO’s decision to send new weapons, arguing this would be seen in Kyiv as an encouragement to continue the war, not as a sign for peace. Russia maintains it is ready for negotiations but expects new proposals from Ukraine and continues to demand territorial concessions as prerequisites for peace.

European and Global Reaction

European NATO Involvement: European NATO members are financing much of the new military equipment heading to Ukraine. Both Denmark and the Netherlands voiced support for Trump’s initiative.

EU Diplomacy: European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomed the U.S. move to send more arms to Ukraine but called on Washington to bear a larger share of the financial burden. An 18th package of sanctions against Russia was stalled due to Slovakia’s opposition.

Chinese Criticism: China derided the new U.S.-led pressure as “coercion that leads nowhere,” following the American warning of secondary tariffs targeting Moscow’s allies.

War and Negotiation Updates

On the Battlefield: The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed to have captured two more villages in the Donetsk region as Russian airstrikes intensified in recent weeks.

Peace talks: While Russia rejects a prolonged ceasefire and demands Ukraine cede four regions plus Crimea and renounce NATO membership, Ukraine and its European allies insist on a 30-day unconditional ceasefire and the full withdrawal of Russian troops before negotiations.

Voices from the Ground

Moscovites: Residents of Moscow interviewed by AFP viewed Trump’s remarks as part of a “chess game,” expecting continued negotiations and possible extensions to Trump’s 50-day deadline.

Ukrainian Soldiers: Frontline Ukrainian soldiers expressed a mixture of gratitude and skepticism. Some doubted the U.S. commitment, citing discrepancies between American promises and reality. Others noted that earlier delivery of Patriot systems could have saved lives, though some remained optimistic, saying, “Better late than never.”

Summary Table

Main Actor Position or Statement Details

Donald Trump Urges Ukraine not to target Moscow; sets 50-day deadline for Russia Announces new military aid, no long-range missiles for Kyiv

Kremlin (Peskov) U.S./NATO arms would “prolong the war” Prefers negotiation, but demands major Ukrainian concessions

Kaja Kallas (EU) Welcomes aid, pushes for greater U.S. financial burden-sharing Stalled new EU sanctions package due to Slovakia’s opposition

Chinese Government Criticizes U.S. sanctions and pressure Dismisses approach as ineffective coercion

Ukrainian Soldiers Mixed gratitude and skepticism Ask for more and timelier Western support; doubt full U.S. commitment

Moscovite Citizens See politics as a “chess game”; expect ongoing negotiations Some expect 50-day deadline will merely be extended

This summary captures the major diplomatic, military, and public reactions to Donald Trump’s recent pronouncements on the Ukraine conflict as reported in the French press.