Featured Image Credit: BBC/Omar Havana/Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics, World News, News
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics, World News, News
During his appearance at the NATO summit this week, Donald Trump was approached by a Ukrainian reporter in an interaction that has since gone viral online, and certainly sparked a passionate debate.
Along with 31 other world leaders, the US president attended the political get-together in The Hague, Netherlands where a number of political topics were discussed - including the Israel-Iran war, tariffs, international defence and the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
During one meeting with members of the press, Trump, 79, was approached by BBC Ukraine correspondent Myroslava Petsa, who told him that her husband is a solider.
Petsa asked the Republican whether America would be 'ready' to supply her home country with Patriot missiles, adding: "We know that Russia has been pounding Ukraine really heavily right now."
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Prior to answering Petsa's question, Trump interrupted by asking the journalist: "Are you living, yourself, now in Ukraine?"
She then replied: "My husband is there - and me with the kids, I’m in Warsaw, actually. Because he wanted me to."
Trump asked: "Is your husband a soldier?" to which Petsa replied: "He is." Trump asked: "He’s there now?"
After the reporter began nodding, the right-wing politician appeared moved, telling her: "Wow, that’s rough stuff, right? That’s tough."
Agreeing that the Ukrainian capital seeks to purchase weapons from American providers, Trump went on to pledge: "We’re going to see if we can make some available."
He continued, however: "You know, they’re very hard to get. We need them too. We were supplying them to Israel, and they’re very effective — 100% effective. Hard to believe how effective.
"And they do want that more than any other thing, as you probably know."
For background, since the October 7 2023 Hamas attack in Israel and throughout the duration of the subsequent war and crisis in Gaza, the United States has provided the country extensive military, diplomatic, and financial support.
Israel has been accused of committing war crimes, such as bombing civilian communities and preventing humanitarian aid from reaching Palestinian people. The United Nations' International Criminal Court currently has an arrest warrant out for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump has continued to align with Israel after the country launched a missile attack upon the neighbouring country of Iran earlier this month.
The US president bombed three Iranian nuclear sites himself on Sunday (22 June), before attempting to call a ceasefire between the two countries.
During the NATO Summit conversation this week, the president then went on to praise Petsa for her 'very good question' about military weapons, before telling her: "I wish you a lot of luck.
"I mean, I can see it’s very upsetting to you. Say hello to your husband, OK? Thank you."
As we say, footage of the interaction has since spread on social media, with a debate having been sparked about Trump's sincerity.
One fan of the father-of-five gushed: "God Bless President Trump taking a question from the Ukrainian journalist and being respectful asking after her welfare and her husband who's a soldier in Ukraine."
Another jibed: "Between this and the Ukraine reporter, I think Trump finally got his heart from the Wizard of Oz."
"It was a good exchange between Trump and the Ukrainian reporter today," a third went on.
"He was interested in her life and it felt like a 'real' moment. Her husband is fighting in Ukraine and she and the children are staying out of the country per her husband's request."
Others, however, considered some of Trump's choice of words to be insensitive, with one hitting out: "Donald Trump lacks a soul. Listen to his conversation with the Ukraine reporter."
"What a disgusting nothing," another agreed.
"Trump said he would end the Ukraine war in a day," a third went on. "Most of us knew that was a lie. Thanks to this reporter for doing his job."