George W. Bush Condemns ‘Brutal Invasion Of Iraq’ In Speech Blunder

George W. Bush scored a major own goal during a speech during which he condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The former President of the United States was speaking at the Presidential Center at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where he criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But in his attempt to to criticise the 'wholly unjustified and brutal invasion' of Ukraine, he suffered from a slip of the tongue that is probably still haunting him.

Bush said: "Russian elections are rigged, political opponents are imprisoned or otherwise eliminated from participating in the electoral process.

"The result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia, and the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq."

After pausing for a second, the 75-year-old realised possibly the worst thing he could have said had come out of his mouth.

Shaking his head, he clarified: "I mean, of Ukraine... 75 [referring to his age]."

Bush was the leader of the US when the country launched an invasion of Iraq in 2003 over claims that the country had weapons of mass destruction – which were never found.

Bush Center

Elsewhere in his speech, Bush labelled Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy a 'cool little guy' and said he was 'the Churchill of the 21st century'.

He said: "The way countries conduct elections is indicative of how their leaders treat their own people, and how nations behave toward other nations. And nowhere is this on display more clearly than Ukraine.

"He's leading his nation heroically against Russian invading forces."

He continued: "In contrast, Russian elections are rigged. Political opponents are imprisoned or otherwise eliminated.

"The way countries conduct elections is indicative of how their leaders treat their own people, and how nations behave toward other nations.

"And nowhere is this on display more clearly than Ukraine. There's nothing more important than elections in a democracy.

"It's really important, and we have an obligation to stay true to our principles by holding free and fair elections."

If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information