Lucy Devine
Just weeks after he told President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he was 'gambling with World War III', President Donald Trump has sent another warning about a potential worldwide conflict.
Speaking on Friday evening (March 14), Trump explained that although ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine are progressing, the situation could have been 'a war like no other' had the US not got involved.
The invasion of Ukraine first began in February 2022 after Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to storm the neighboring country.
Three years later and the fighting is still going on, with both countries having recently issued devastating drone strikes on one another.
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Speaking to the Justice Department about the conflict escalating, Trump said: "I think we have it, I think we have it, but this could lead to World War III, very easily, could very easily lead to World War III.
"But I think we're in pretty good shape, a lot better than where we were before we got involved.
"That was heading into World War III territory, that would've been a war like no other because of nuclear weapons, and other types of weapons that you don't even wanna know about.
"I think we're doing well with Russia, we're speaking with President Putin, we want to get the war over."
Trump went on to explain that had he been president at the time, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine 'would not have happened'.
"We've had some very good calls today with Russia, and with Ukraine, they've agreed to a ceasefire if we can get it with Russia. And it's not easy. It's a tough one," he added.
"... There would have been no war had I been president. It just 100 percent would not have happened."
Earlier this month, US and Ukrainian officials met in Saudi Arabia to discuss organizing a ceasefire with Russia, with negotiations reportedly going on for eight hours.
The two countries released a joint statement afterwards which outlined their hopes of having Russia sign a 30-day ceasefire, with Trump recently adding that there would be 'devastating' consequences for Russia if they did not agree.
"We could do things very bad for Russia," he told reporters. "Would be devastating for Russia. But I don’t want to do that because I want to see peace."
America also agreed to resume its military aid and security assistance to Ukraine.