A clip has resurfaced of Donald Trump telling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to work with Vladimir Putin. See how it went down:
The two met back in New York City back in 2019, when Trump was still the President of the United States.
Advert
During a press conference, during which the pair were facing questions from the media, the billionaire said that he was hopeful Zelenskyy would be able to work out his differences with the Russian president.
In footage shared own social media, Trump says: "I really hope that you and President Putin can get together and solve your problem."
Some have since commented that Zelenskyy didn't look too pleased with the recommendation at the time.
Trump later went on to say: "I know a lot of people from Ukraine. They’re great people.
Advert
"I owned something called the Miss Universe pageants years ago... we had a winner from Ukraine... it’s a country with tremendous potential."
This comes after an official claimed this week that Putin was building a 'child army' to fight in Ukraine.
With the Ukrainian people and its military stemming the tide of Russian advances towards its capital, Putin is thought to be refocusing his efforts to the east of the country.
Advert
His forces are now concentrating on an offensive in the Donbas, made up of the separatist-controlled regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
However, it has now been alleged that Putin has been and continues to target 'patriotic youth clubs' and is attempting to conscript 16-year-olds.
Lyudmyla Denisova, the Ukrainian parliament commissioner on human rights, said these children are being 'mobilised into illegal weapons formations' and one death has already been reported.
Advert
In a post to Facebook, she wrote: "They have been doing military training and there have been deaths among these teenagers.
"Now they are promoting the entry into the army of civilians, including children in the temporarily occupied territories.
"In doing so the Russian Federation has violated the laws and customs of war provided by the 1949 Geneva Convention on the protection of civilians and the rights of children.
"The recruitment of children is a violation of international law."
Advert
The post went on: "In the city of Starobílsʹk, the largest in the temporarily occupied territory of the Luhansk region is planned to open 400 places of the Cossack Cadet Corps.
"The decision was made in late March in Luhansk during an extended meeting on the support and development of the cossack component in the LPR education system.
"In addition, cadet bodies and classes the occupation authorities plan to open in Severodonetsk and Lysyčansk.
"As of the end of 2021, in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk region, 62 cadet classes were functioning, in which over 1,200 children studied, and two cadet bodies, in which 417 children were taught."
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
Topics: Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Russia