US President Donald Trump has directly called Russia an aggressor in the war against Ukraine for the first time. According to Politico, he told reporters: “This week, eight thousand soldiers from both countries have been killed. More were from Russia, but when you're the aggressor, the losses are greater.”
Until now, the White House chief had refused to unequivocally endorse statements condemning Moscow – in February, the US, together with Russia and North Korea, blocked a UN resolution on Ukraine's territorial integrity and also rejected a joint G7 statement naming Russia as the aggressor.
Trump even accused Kiev of provoking the conflict. However, the president's stance changed over the summer when Putin rejected his efforts to negotiate peace with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“I ended seven wars and thought this one would be easy, but it turned out to be difficult. I think I have to settle everything myself,” the US president admitted on Sunday, adding that Putin and Zelensky hate each other.
