US President Donald Trump hosted El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele at the White House on Monday (14 April), praising him as an “incredible” leader and thanking him for supporting the US’s deportation efforts.

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But the meeting quickly shifted focus to Ukraine, as Trump was pressed on his earlier remark that Russia’s deadly attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, which killed 34 people, was a “mistake.”

Also read: ‘I just got here’: Trump insists Russia-Ukraine War ‘not his war,’ slams Zelensky, Biden for ‘absolutely horrible job’

‘This was Biden’s war’

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When asked to clarify, Trump aimed both former president Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“If Biden were competent and if Zelensky were competent, and I don’t know that he is, we had a rough session with this guy, he just kept asking for more and more… that war shouldn’t have been allowed to happen,” Trump said.

He claimed that during his own presidency, “Putin wouldn’t even bring it up,” and suggested the war only started because the “election was rigged and I wasn’t here.” “Biden should’ve stopped it,” he continued, later adding, “This was Biden’s war and I’m trying to stop it.”

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Also read: ‘This is Biden’s war’: EU convenes emergency talks after Trump calls Russian strike on Ukraine a ‘mistake’

Everyone is to blame, Trump says

Although Trump at first seemed to acknowledge that Russian President Vladimir Putin had started the war, he later backtracked and spread the blame more widely.

“That’s a war that should’ve never been allowed to start. Biden couldn’t stop it and Zelensky could’ve stopped it, and Putin should’ve never started it. Everybody’s to blame,” he said.

Also read: Trump’s Ukraine ‘peace’ plan isn’t about peace. It’s a PR stunt

Zelensky ‘not competent,’ Trump claims

In more direct criticism, Trump questioned the Ukrainian president’s judgement. “If Biden were competent, and if Zelensky were competent, and I don't know that he is... There was no way that war should never have been allowed to happen,” he said from the Oval Office.

He added, “When you start a war you’ve got to know you can win the war. You don’t start a war against somebody that’s 20 times your size. And then hope that people give you some missiles.”

'Millions are dead because of three people'

In a dramatic statement, Trump said, “Millions of people are dead because of three people.” He listed them, “Let’s say Putin number one, let’s say Biden, who had no idea what the hell he was doing, number two, and Zelensky.”

He added, “All I can do is try and stop it – that’s all I want to do. I want to stop the killing.” Trump also hinted that “very good proposals” could be coming soon to help bring the war to an end.