U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has held Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky jointly responsible for Russia’s attack against Ukraine.

“He should never have let that war start,” Mr Trump told the YouTuber Patrick Bet-David in a podcast that lasted almost an hour and a half.

Russia launched an unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine, with the help of Western powers, has been fighting off Moscow’s forces since then.

The United States has been Ukraine’s largest supporter, with $50 billion in military aid, significantly less than Mr Trump’s claims.

Mr Trump questioned U.S. aid to Ukraine, as he has in the past, saying, “I think Zelensky is one of the greatest salesmen I’ve ever seen. Every time he comes in, we give him $100 billion. Who else got that kind of money in history? There’s never been that.

“That didn’t mean I didn’t want to help Ukraine, as I feel very badly for those people.”

Mr Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, has come out strongly against assisting Ukraine.

The presidential candidate repeated his oft-stated claims that the war would not have taken place if he had been president.

He noted the war had not taken place during his four years in the White House, “and it was never going to happen.”

He claimed that if he won the election on November 5, he could end the war before inauguration day on January 20.

Polls suggest Mr Trump is in a dead heat in his race against Vice-President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. 

(dpa/NAN)