President Trump reversed course on the war in Ukraine, flipping his position that Kyiv started the war against Russia. 

Mr. Trump earlier this week drew criticism domestically from Democratic and Republican lawmakers and abroad for his assertion that Ukraine should “have never started” the conflict with Russia. 

When pressed on his assertion in an interview with Fox News Radio on Friday, Mr. Trump appeared to change his position. 

“Russia attacked, but they shouldn’t have let [Russian President Vladimir Putin] attack,” he said. 

Later Friday, Mr. Trump said the U.S. and Ukraine were close to signing a mineral agreement, a treatise that has been floated for some time that could give America access to the European country’s critical minerals.

“We’re signing an agreement, hopefully in the next fairly short period of time,” he said. 

The relationship between Mr. Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has become chilly, particularly after the American president accused his counterpart of being a dictator.

“A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” Mr. Trump posted on social media. 

Mr. Zelenskyy was elected to a five-year term in 2019, and elections were scheduled for 2024. Ukrainian law requires that when martial law is in effect, which it has been throughout the conflict, elections are to be postponed until it’s lifted. 

Mr. Trump’s frustration with Kyiv stemmed from Mr. Zelenskyy’s rejection of an earlier version of the mineral agreement, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said this week. 

Mr. Zelenskyy on Friday said Ukrainian and U.S. officials were working on the new mineral agreement. 

“I am hoping for … a fair result,” he said.

• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.