'I'm not thrilled with Putin,' says Trump

WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump on Saturday voiced frustration over his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

"I'm not thrilled with Putin. He's killing too many people," Trump told a news conference in the US state of Florida flanked by senior Cabinet officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

His remarks came after the US carried out a "large scale strike" on Venezuela, with President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores also "captured and flown out" of the country, according to Trump.

Asked whether he talked with Putin about Maduro during their most recent phone call, Trump said they did not.

"We never spoke about Maduro," he added.

Trump also said "progress" is being made towards resolving the ongoing Ukraine war --which is nearing the four-year-mark -- and reiterated his frequent claim that the war “should have never happened. If I were president, it would have never happened."