Donald Trump has made a major intervention in the war between Russia and Ukraine after his leaked comments about 'bombing the s**t out of Moscow' continue to cause shockwaves.
Prior to beginning his second term as president in January, Trump insisted he could end the Russia-Ukraine war within his first 24 hours back in the White House.
However, despite repeated calls for a ceasefire and discussions with Putin, the war seems to have no end in sight.
Audio of the 47th POTUS speaking to donors in 2024 has caused quite an international stir, with CNN reporting Trump was speaking to wealthy donors at an event prior to becoming president for a second time.
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In the recording, Trump reportedly said: “With Putin I said, ‘If you go into Ukraine, I’m going to bomb the s**t out of Moscow. I’m telling you I have no choice.
“And then [Putin] goes, like, ‘I don’t believe you.’ But he believed me 10%.”
Trump then allegedly insisted he made similar comments when it comes to Chinese President Xi Jinping, telling him Beijing would be bombed if the nation decided to invade Taiwan.
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It remains unclear when these alleged conversations took place with the leaders.
Following the controversial claims coming to light, Trump has finally agreed to something Ukraine has long been asking for.
The president confirmed on Sunday (July 13) that the US would send air defense systems to Ukraine to help fight off Russia aggression.
"We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need," the president said to press. "I haven’t agreed on the number yet, but they’re going to have some because they do need protection."
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Patriots are advanced defence systems which use radar to intercept aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones.
It doesn't come cheap, with Reuters reporting a single battery costs $1 billion: $400 million for the defence system and $690 million for the missiles to intercept threats.
Trump confirmed the delivery of new weapons is part of a new deal that sees NATO paying the US.
"We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military and they’re going to pay us 100 percent for them," the president added.
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After the audio tapes of Trump speaking about bombing Moscow leaked, Russia quickly dismissed the claims.
The spokesman for the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov said: “The fact is that there were no telephone conversations then.
“After all, we are talking, as far as I understand, about the period when Trump was not yet the president of the United States.”
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Trump recently expressed his frustration with the Russian leader over Ukrainian soldiers dying in their thousands.
Speaking to press after a cabinet meeting last week, he said: "I'm not happy with Putin. I can tell you that much right now.
"We get a lot of bulls**t thrown at us by Putin ... He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless."
Topics: Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Russia, US News, Ukraine
Callum Jones