Trump “frustrated” with Zelenskyy, says US national security adviser

ВВС reported this in its live updates.

Asked if President Donald Trump views his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as a dictator, after comments which he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a dictator, Waltz said that Trump is "very frustrated" with Zelenskyy right now.

"The fact that he hasn't come to the table, that he hasn't been willing to take this opportunity that we've offered", he says, adding that he hopes the Ukrainian will "very soon".

Trump’s national security adviser didn't directly answer the question and added “But President Trump is, as we made clear to our Russian counterparts, and I want to make clear today — he’s focused on stopping the fighting and moving forward, and we could argue all day long about what’s happened in the past.”

Ukraine's allies in Europe denounced Trump's comments, as leaders reiterated that Russia had started the war — not Ukraine — and that Zelenskyy was not a "dictator", but a democratically elected leader.

Waltz also didn’t say who Trump believes is more responsible for war in Ukraine — Putin or Zelenskyy.

“(Trump’s) goal here is to bring this war to an end, period, and there has been ongoing fighting on both sides — it is World War I-style, trench warfare,” Waltz told reporters at the White House briefing.