Former President Donald Trump said the Russian invasion of Ukraine wouldn't have happened if he was President.
The video is part of a series of campaign ads for Trump's bid for re-election in 2024.
"If I was President the Russia-Ukraine war would never have happened," Trump said. "Even now, if I were President, I'd be able to negotiate an end to this horrible and rapidly escalating war within 24-hours."
The former President said, "You have to say the right things, not the wrong things,” suggesting the Biden administration encouraged the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"Such a tragic waste of human life when you look at all that's happening there. Those cities are obliterated. First comes the tanks, and then the nukes," Trump continued. "Get this crazy war ended now. And in fact, it's easy to get done."
"When I'm President we will be a strong country again. People will never be playing these games like they've been doing to the United States of America," he concluded. "They respected us greatly two-and-a-half year ago. They don't respect us anymore."
President Biden commented on potential conflict between Russia and Ukraine in a January 2022 statement suggesting, "It's one thing if it's a minor incursion."
"But if they actually do what they're capable of doing with the force amassed on the border, it is going to be a disaster for Russia if they further invade Ukraine," Biden continued.
"There are differences in NATO as to what countries are willing to do, depending on what happens, the degree to which they’re willing to go," Biden said, explaining that the most severe sanctions on Russia "are gonna have a negative impact on the United States as well as a negative impact on the economies of Europe as well, [and] a devastating impact on Russia."
"We want to remind the great powers that there are no minor incursions and small nations. Just as there are no minor casualties and little grief from the loss of loved ones," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shortly before Biden's comments.
In a second video shared to Trump's social network Truth Social the former President criticized Biden's "weakness and incompetence," accusing President Biden of "escalating" war following his decision to send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine last week.
"The Abrams tanks are the most capable tanks in the world," Biden said from the White House. "These tanks are further evidence of our enduring and unflagging commitment to Ukraine and our confidence in the skill of Ukrainian forces."
"With spring approaching, Ukrainian forces are working to defend the territory they hold and prepared for additional counter offenses to liberate their land," he said. "They need to be able to counter Russia’s evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term."
The M1 Abrams tanks will not come from Pentagon stocks but will be bought with congressionally approved Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds, per the New York Post.
"Delivering these tanks to the field is going to take time – time that we’ll use to make sure the Ukrainians are fully prepared to integrate the Abrams tanks into their defenses," according to a senior administration official.
