US president Donald Trump reversed course and said Russia did invade Ukraine after facing backlash for previously claiming that Kyiv "should have never started" the war three years ago.
"Russia attacked, but they shouldn't have let him attack," Mr Trump told Fox News, adding that Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky and then-US president Joe Biden should have taken steps to avert the invasion.
Mr Trump later said Ukraine had no cards to play with as Washington pursues talks on ending the war with Russia.