The US president spoke to BBC Ukraine correspondent Myroslava Petsa during the NATO Summit
At this week’s NATO summit, an encounter between Donald Trump and a Ukrainian journalist quickly went viral and stirred intense public discussion.
Trump, along with 31 other global leaders, attended the summit in The Hague, Netherlands, where key issues such as the Israel-Iran conflict, trade tariffs, global defense, and the ongoing war in Ukraine were addressed.
During a media session, Trump, 79, was approached by BBC Ukraine correspondent Myroslava Petsa, who shared a personal detail—that her husband is a soldier.
Petsa asked Donald Trump 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.”
Prior to answering Petsa’s question, the Republican interrupted by asking the journalist: “Are you living, yourself, now in Ukraine?”
Then, she 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 seemed 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 continued to pledge: “We’re going to see if we can make some available.”
However, he continued: “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 Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and throughout the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the United States has offered Israel significant military, diplomatic, and financial support.
Israel has faced widespread allegations of war crimes, including targeting civilian areas and blocking humanitarian aid from reaching Palestinians. The International Criminal Court of the United Nations has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Earlier this month, following Israel’s missile strike on Iran, Donald Trump reaffirmed his support for the country. On June 22, the U.S. president launched airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities before pushing for a ceasefire between the two nations.
At this week’s NATO Summit, during an exchange with BBC Ukraine correspondent Myroslava Petsa, Trump commended her for asking a “very good question” regarding military weaponry and added, “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.”
The 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.”
However, others 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.”
