Agencies WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump reversed course on Friday and said Russia did in fact invade Ukraine, and that Kyiv would soon sign a minerals agreement with the United States as part of efforts to end the Ukraine war. Trump had said on Tuesday that Ukraine "should have never started" the war three years ago, prompting a wave of criticism both domestically and internationally.

Pressed on the subject in an interview with Fox News Radio on Friday, he acknowledged Russia had invaded Ukraine on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Russia attacked, but they shouldn't have let him attack," Trump said, adding that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and then-US. President Joe Biden should have taken steps to avert the invasion.

Starmer, Macron

In another report by BBC, Trump said French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer "haven't done anything" to end the war in Ukraine. Both  are due to visit to the White House next week. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the UK, France and other allies have been supplying Kyiv with weapons and other aid.

At the same time , Trump praised Macron and Starmer in his interview with Fox News. He said that he considered Macron to be a "friend", and called the British Prime Minister a "very nice guy". Macron is expected to visit Washington on Monday, while Starmer  will be there on Thursday.