Donald Trump said he shares responsibility with Russian President Vladimir Putin for “millions of people have died” in the Ukrainian War.
The US president was answering a reporter’s questions during a meeting with El Salvador leader at the White House.
“When I started the war, I knew I could win,” he said.
Trump’s comments come after widespread rage over the fatal Russian attacks this year against civilians, when missiles attacked Smee, a city in northeastern Ukraine on Sunday.
Trump previously said that Russia’s attack was “mistake.”
“Millions of people have died because of the three,” Trump said Monday. “Let’s say Putin’s number one. Biden, number two, Zelensky, who didn’t know what he was doing.”
Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, it has been estimated that hundreds of thousands have been killed or injured, not millions but “millions” instead.
Questioning Zelensky’s capabilities, Trump said the Ukrainian leaders are “always trying to buy missiles.”
“You don’t start a war with someone 20 times your size and you want people to give you some missiles,” Trump said.
Tensions between Trump and Ukrainian leaders have been much higher since the fierce White House conflict in February.
In an interview before Russia’s latest attack, Zelensky urged Trump to visit Ukraine before signing a contract with Putin to end the war.
“Before any kind of decision, any kind of negotiation, come and see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, and children who have died,” Zelensky said in an interview with CBS’s 60-minute program.
The attack on the Russian city killed at least 35 people and injured 117 people.
Moscow said it fired two Iskander missiles at a meeting of Ukrainian soldiers and killed 60 people but did not provide evidence.
Trump insisted that he wanted to stop the murder and signaled that there would be a proposal soon, but did not elaborate.
