Every Time Ukraine, NATO, Russia Were Mentioned in the Trump-Harris Presidential Debate

On Tuesday night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Vice President Harris and former President Trump took the stage in one of the most highly anticipated events in American politics this year. As Ukraine's strongest ally, the outcome of the U.S. Presidential election could shape the future of the ongoing war. United 24 Media reviews all the moments Ukraine, NATO, and Russia were brought up by the candidates during Tuesday's debate.

The Ukraine Question

Although Ukraine, NATO and Russia were mentioned several times during the 90-minute debate, there was a key moment when both candidates were specifically asked to share their views on the issue. This led to a nearly 10-minute long, in-depth discussion.

Host: We're now two and a half years into this conflict, Mr. President, it has been the position of the Biden administration that we must defend Ukraine, from Russia, from Vladimir Putin, to defend their sovereignty, their democracy, that it's in America's best interest to do so, arguing that if Putin wins, he may be emboldened to move even further into other countries. You have said you would solve this war in 24 hours. You said so just before the break tonight. How exactly would you do that? And I want to ask you a very simple question tonight: Do you want Ukraine to win this war? 

Former President Trump: I want the war to stop. I want to save lives that are being uselessly- people being killed by the millions - it's the millions - it's so much worse than the numbers that you're getting, which are fake numbers. Look, [the US is] in for 250 billion or more because [Ukraine doesn't] ask Europe, which is a much bigger beneficiary to getting this thing done than we are. [Europe is] in for $150 billion less because Biden and [Harris] don't have the courage to ask Europe like I did with NATO. They paid billions and billions, hundreds of billions of dollars when I said, "Either you pay up or we're not going to protect you anymore." So that's maybe one of the reasons they don't like me as much as they like weak people. 

But you take a look at what's happening, we're in for 250 to 275 billion. [Europe is] into 100 to 150 [million], they should be forced to equalize. With that being said, I want to get the war settled. I know Zelenskyy very well, and I know Putin very well. I have a good relationship, and they respect your president. Okay? They respect me. They don't respect Biden. How would you respect him? Why? For what reason he hasn't even made a phone call in two years to Putin, hasn't spoken to anybody. They don't even try and get it - that is a war that's dying to be settled. 

I will get it settled before I even become president, if I win, when I'm president elect. And what I'll do is I'll speak to one, I'll speak to the other. I'll get them together that war would have never happened. And in fact, when I saw Putin after I left, unfortunately, left because our country has gone to hell. But after I left, when I saw him building up soldiers, he did it. After I left, I said, "Oh, he must be negotiating. It must be a good strong point of negotiation."  Well, it wasn't because Biden had no idea how to talk to [Putin]. He had no idea how to stop it, and now you have millions of people dead, and it's only getting worse, and it could lead to world war three. Don't kid yourself, David, we're playing with World War Three. 

Host: Do you believe it's in the US best interest for Ukraine to win this war? Yes or No?

Former President Trump: I think it's in the US best interest to get this war finished and just get it done, negotiate a deal, because we have to stop all of these human lives from being destroyed. 

Host: As Commander in Chief, if elected, how would you deal with Vladimir Putin, and would it be any different from what we're seeing from President Biden?

Vice President Harris: I believe the reason that Donald Trump says that this war would be over within 24 hours is because he would just give it up. And that's not who we are as Americans. Let's understand what happened here. I actually met with Zelenskyy a few days before Russia invaded. [It] tried through force to change territorial boundaries to defy one of the most important international rules and norms, which is the importance of sovereignty and territorial integrity. And I met with President Zelenskyy. I shared with him American intelligence about how he could defend himself. Days later, I went to NATO's eastern flank, to Poland and Romania, and through the work that I and others did, we brought 50 countries together to support Ukraine in its righteous defense. And because of our support, because of the air defense, the ammunition, the artillery, the Javelins, the Abrams Tanks that we have provided Ukraine stands as an independent and free country. If Donald Trump were president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now, and understand what that would mean, because Putin's agenda is not just about Ukraine. Understand why the European allies and our NATO allies are so thankful that you are no longer president, and that we understand the importance of the greatest military alliance the world has ever known, which is NATO, and what we have done to preserve the ability of Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians to fight for their independence. Otherwise, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv with his eyes on the rest of Europe, starting with Poland, and why don't you tell the 800,000 Polish Americans right here in Pennsylvania how quickly you would give up for the sake of favor and what you think is a friendship with what is known to be a dictator who would eat you for lunch.

Former President Trump: Putin would be sitting in Moscow, and he wouldn't have lost 300,000 men and women, but he would have been sitting in Moscow much happier than he is right now, but eventually, you know, he's got a thing that other people don't have. He's got nuclear weapons they don't ever talk about that. They've got nuclear weapons. Nobody ever thinks about that. And eventually, maybe he'll use him, and maybe he hasn't been that threatening, but he does have that, something we don't even like to talk about nobody likes to talk about it, but just so you understand, they sent her to negotiate peace before this war started. Three days later, he went in and he started the war because everything [Harris] said was weak and stupid. [Harris] said the wrong things that war should have never started. She was the emissary. They sent her in to negotiate with Zelenskyy and Putin, and she did, and the war started three days later, and that's the kind of talent we have with her. She's worse than Biden, in my opinion. I think he's the worst president in the history of our country. She goes down as the worst vice president in the history of our country. But let me tell you something. She is a horrible negotiator. They sent her in to negotiate as soon as they left, Putin did the invasion. 

Host: You did bring up something you said [Vice President Harris] went to negotiate with Vladimir Putin. Vice President Harris, have you ever met Vladimir Putin? 

Vice President Harris:  Again, I said at the beginning of this debate, you're going to hear a bunch of lies coming from this fella, and that is another one. When I went to meet with President Zelenskyy, I've now met with him over five times. The reality is it has been about standing as America always should, as a leader upholding international rules and norms, as a leader who shows strength, understanding that the alliances we have around the world are dependent on our ability to look out for our friends and not favor our enemies, because you adore strong men instead of caring about democracy, and that is very much what is at stake here. The President of the United States is commander in chief and the American people have a right to rely on a president who understands the significance of America's role and responsibility in terms of ensuring that there is stability and ensuring we stand up for our principles and not sell them for the benefit of personal flattery. 

Former President Trump: [Stoltenberg] said Trump did the most amazing thing I've ever seen. He got these countries, the 28 countries at the time, to pay up. He's the head of NATO. He said, “I've never seen [it] for years.” [The United States] were paying almost all of NATO. We were being ripped off by European nations, both on trade and on NATO. I got them to pay up by saying one of the statements you made before, "If you don't pay, we're not going to protect you." Otherwise we would have never gotten [the money]. [Stoltenberg] said it was one of the most incredible jobs that he's ever seen done.