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Donald Trump has sparked controversy after posting a provocative photo of himself pointing his finger at Vladimir Putin - echoing the infamous 1959 “Kitchen Debate” between Richard Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev.

The US President dropped the image online today just hours after Moscow unleashed one of its heaviest bombardments of Ukraine since the war began, in what critics say was a calculated bid to show himself standing firm against Russia’s strongman.

Trump’s copycat pose, mirroring Nixon’s clash with Khrushchev in a mock-up American kitchen during the Cold War, is being billed by allies as a symbol of defiance. But insiders claim it is also the latest sign of his growing fury at Putin’s refusal to end the carnage.

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One well-placed source told the Mirror: “There is no secret that Trump has become increasingly angered by Putin’s lack of action. He says one thing, but then immediately carries out further attacks on Ukraine, showing he has no interest in stopping the killing. Putin is beginning to make Trump look weak, and it’s wearing on the President. He’s already threatened much greater sanctions against Russia if peace is not forthcoming and it’s clear Trump feels time is running out.”

The original “Kitchen Debate” took place during the American National Exhibition in Moscow, when then–Vice President Nixon and Soviet Premier Khrushchev went toe-to-toe in front of cameras. What began as a row over washing machines and televisions quickly descended into a fiery exchange about capitalism versus communism and became one of the defining images of the Cold War.

Now Trump is trying to cast himself in the same mould, pointing the finger at Putin as Nixon once did at Khrushchev, inviting comparisons between his standoff with Moscow and America’s ideological battle with the Soviet Union.

The timing of the stunt, however, raised eyebrows. Russia’s overnight blitz of Ukrainian cities left dozens dead and injured, further escalating a war already grinding into its third year.

Against that backdrop, Trump’s photo-op was seized upon by supporters as proof of American resolve and derided by critics as a cheap gimmick.

“Trump thinks he’s Nixon squaring up to Khrushchev,” one social media user wrote online. “In reality, he’s cosplaying statesmanship while bombs fall on civilians.”

The Internet was split. MAGA supporters hailed the image as a show of leadership, with one supporter posting: “This is America standing tall. Trump is showing Putin he won’t be pushed around.” Others were scathing, branding it “Instagram diplomacy” and “a stunt that trivialises a brutal war.”

Historians and foreign policy experts were equally divided. Some said the symbolism was clever, drawing on an iconic Cold War moment to remind the world of America’s strength. Others warned it was simplistic, dangerous even, reducing a complex modern conflict to a recycled photo-op.

“It’s a flashy gesture,” said one analyst. “But Ukraine isn’t 1959 Moscow, and Putin isn’t Khrushchev. The stakes today are far higher and a finger-pointing picture won’t bring the bombs to a halt.”

Still, Trump’s move has ensured he is once again at the centre of the Ukraine debate, positioning himself as the man prepared to stare down Putin.