US President Donald Trump said he would ask Russian President Vladimir Putin directly about allegations that Moscow helped Iran target American military bases in the Middle East by providing satellite
intelligence, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of assisting Tehran.
“I’ll ask Putin about it. We’ll find out,” Trump said.
While acknowledging the allegations, the US President downplayed their impact, saying any Russian assistance “hasn’t had much impact because we’ve knocked the hell out of” Iran.
The accusations emerged after Zelenskyy claimed Ukraine had gathered evidence showing Russia conducting satellite surveillance of Gulf countries and US military installations before the imagery was allegedly passed on to Iran.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Zelenskyy said Ukraine had recorded “active Russian satellite surveillance” of Gulf states and American military facilities since the beginning of July.
“These images subsequently appear in Iran. At the same time, 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, to assess the damage inflicted,” he wrote.
The Ukrainian president also alleged that on July 19 and 20, Russian satellites focused on four military air bases- two in Bahrain, one in Jordan and one in Kuwait- which later featured in Iran’s operational planning.
“The purpose is clear. None of us in the world should turn a blind eye to one very simple fact: evil always seeks ways to make things worse and spread further. Russia must be stopped. This war must be stopped. Pressure on the aggressor must work,” Zelenskyy added.
Despite the allegations, Trump signalled that Washington’s immediate priority remains diplomacy with Tehran. Referring to a recent pause in military operations, he said Iran had sought renewed negotiations following sustained US strikes.
“They asked us very nicely, ‘Please stop, let’s meet,'” Trump said, adding, And that’s where we are right now; see what happens. If we don’t make a deal, we go back to the same thing.”
Trump has repeatedly argued that recent US military operations significantly weakened Iran’s capabilities, which he cited while dismissing the strategic impact of any alleged Russian intelligence support.
