Former President Donald Trump said Vladimir Putin delayed the Russian invasion of Ukraine as long as he did due to a conversation between the two world leaders.

Trump recounted the conversation he had with Putin during an exclusive interview with Fox News host Bret Baier on Monday, in which he said there would be “hell to pay” if Russia invaded Ukraine.

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"With Putin, I have a very good relationship. I mean, I haven't spoken to him in a long while, but I had a very strong relationship," Trump said. "He wouldn't have done it if it were me. He did it after I left.

"I thought he might do it," Trump added. "Look, I talked to him. I said, 'If you do it, there's going to be hell to pay. It's going to be a catastrophe. Don't do it.’”

Putin showed hesitation in launching an invasion after that conversation, according to Trump.

“He didn’t believe me at all except for maybe 10%, and 10% was all you needed,” the former president said. “It was only after I left [office] that you started hearing about this.”

Trump said that if he had remained president, he could have negotiated a peace deal between the two warring countries.

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"I would have a deal done in 24 hours from the time we started. And I would tell Zelensky something, and I would tell Putin something, and I'd get him into a room, and I'd tell him again and again," he said. "I would have a deal done very quickly. And you know what? The death would stop, and the destruction would stop because, look, Ukraine has been wiped out."

The conflict, which has lasted for nearly 16 months, continues as Ukraine launched its latest counteroffensive against Russia earlier this month.