'Very unimpactful': Trump downplays Russian support for Iran, promises to 'ask Putin' about Zelensky's claims
(COMBO) This combination of pictures shows Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L), US President Donald Trump (C) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R). Photograph: (AFP)
US President Donald Trump says any Russian assistance has been "very unimpactful" as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accuses Moscow of providing satellite intelligence to Tehran. All you need to know.
US President Donald Trump on Monday (Jul 27) dismissed suggestions that Russia has played a significant role in supporting Iran during its conflict with the United States, saying any assistance Moscow may have provided has been "very unimpactful."
Trump's remarks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of supplying satellite intelligence to Iran to help it target US military bases and Gulf state infrastructure. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he would seek clarification directly from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We'll find out if that's true. I'll ask Putin about it. We'll find out," Trump said.
'We've knocked the hell out of Iran'
The US president argued that any Russian support had failed to alter the course of the conflict, asserting that American military operations had severely weakened Iran.
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"It hasn't had much impact because we've knocked the hell out of it (Iran)," Trump said.
"They may be providing support, but if they are, it hasn't worked out because they (Iran) have no army, they have no air force, they have no navy, they have nothing," he added.
Trump also cited Venezuela as an example to argue that Russian military equipment had not proven particularly effective. "They (Russia) gave Venezuela a lot of equipment. Venezuela had all Russian equipment. How did that work? Not too good," he said.
While expressing scepticism over Zelensky's claims, Trump added that even if Moscow had provided assistance, it had made little difference. "I don't think they've been doing it, certainly not at a high level. And if they have, it has been very unimpactful," he said.
Zelensky alleges Russian satellite support
Trump's comments came after Zelensky made one of his strongest accusations yet against Moscow, claiming Ukrainian intelligence had tracked Russian satellite surveillance of US military installations and Gulf state infrastructure before Iranian strikes.
In a post on X, the Ukrainian president said he would share the intelligence with Kyiv's international partners. "I will instruct our intelligence to share with our partners the information we have regarding Russia's new assistance to the Iranian regime," Zelensky wrote.
He alleged that since the beginning of July, Ukrainian intelligence had observed active Russian satellite monitoring of Gulf states and US military facilities, with the imagery later appearing in Iran.
Claims of surveillance before strikes
According to Zelensky, there was a "clear correlation" between Russian satellite imagery and subsequent Iranian attacks. "There is a clear correlation between Russia's satellite imagery of these sites and Iranian strikes - both before the attacks, in preparation for them, and afterward (s), to assess the damage inflicted," he said.
The Ukrainian leader further claimed that on July 19 and 20, Russian satellites focused on four regional air bases — two in Bahrain, one in Jordan and one in Kuwait — before the alleged intelligence was passed on to Tehran.
