US President Donald Trump has said he plans to directly question Russian President Vladimir Putin over allegations that Moscow provided Iran with satellite intelligence that may have been used to identify American military bases in the Middle East.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “I’ll ask Putin about it. We’ll find out.”
While acknowledging the accusations, Trump suggested that any alleged Russian assistance had little effect on the outcome of recent events.
“It hasn’t had much impact because we’ve knocked the hell out of” Iran, the US President said.
Zelenskyy alleges Russia shared satellite intelligence with Iran
The allegations stem from claims made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said Ukraine had gathered evidence indicating Russia carried out satellite surveillance of Gulf countries and US military installations before the imagery was allegedly passed on to Iran.
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In a post on X, Zelenskyy claimed Ukraine had recorded “active Russian satellite surveillance” of Gulf states and American military facilities since the beginning of July.
According to him, the satellite images later appeared in Iran and were linked to the planning of military operations.
“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,” Zelenskyy wrote.
I will instruct our intelligence to share with our partners the information we have regarding Russia’s new assistance to the Iranian regime. Since the beginning of July, we have recorded active Russian satellite surveillance of the Gulf states and U.S. military facilities located…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 25, 2026
He further alleged that on July 19 and 20, Russian satellites focused on four military air bases, including two in Bahrain, one in Jordan and one in Kuwait. Zelenskyy claimed these locations later featured in Iran’s operational planning.
Zelenskyy calls for stronger pressure on Russia
Urging the international community to respond, the Ukrainian President said, “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.”
Trump says diplomacy with Iran remains the priority
Despite the allegations, Trump indicated that Washington is currently focused on diplomatic engagement with Tehran.
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Referring to a recent pause in military operations, he said Iran had requested fresh talks after sustained US strikes.
“They asked us very nicely, ‘Please stop, let’s meet,’” Trump said.
He added, “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 maintained that recent US military operations had significantly weakened Iran’s capabilities, a point he cited while dismissing the potential strategic impact of the alleged Russian intelligence support.
FAQs:
Why did Trump say he would ask Putin about Iran targeting US bases?
Trump said he would ask Vladimir Putin about allegations that Russia shared satellite intelligence with Iran to help identify US military bases.
What did Zelenskyy accuse Russia of regarding Iran’s attacks?
Zelenskyy alleged Russia conducted satellite surveillance of US and Gulf military sites before the imagery was allegedly passed to Iran.
