‘Best predictor’ Donald Trump warns of nuclear war if leaders are ‘not smart’

The Russia-Ukraine catastrophe is in a way already a world war and if leaders are not “smart” it will result in a nuclear battle, former US President Donald Trump says as the “best predictor of things ever”.

Mr Trump said his message for Russia’s Vladimir Putin would be to tell him his action are a “shame” while spruiking a change of diplomatic tactics.

“They’re dealing with him incorrectly, I think what they’re saying – it’s almost like they’re speaking with fear,” Mr Trump said.

“Our leaders are not smart.

“If they’re not smart, you’re going to end up in a nuclear war – this is just the beginning.”

“We have one weapon alone that would destroy everything.”

Mr Trump told Sky News Australia host Piers Morgan when he was president and Mr Putin spoke of potentially invading Ukraine, he said he “threatened him like he has never been threatened before”.

He stopped short of confirming that threat involved nuclear weapons.

He also spoke of his confrontation with Kim Jong Un during his tenure in office, recounting his threat about the existence of a red “nuclear button” on his desk.