Speaking to reporters in Florida on Tuesday night, Trump said he was "disappointed" by Ukraine's response, appearing to blame the country's authorities for the war and suggesting they "could have made a deal" with Russia earlier.
"I hear that they're upset about not having a seat - well, they've had a seat for three years and long before that," Trump told reporters.
"This could have been settled very easily," he added. "You should have never started it. You could have made a deal."
In remarks seen as aligning with one of Moscow’s key demands, Trump also increased pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to hold elections.
(mo/gs)
Click on the audio player above for a report by Michał Owczarek.