Trump says Russia should end Ukraine war rather than testing missiles

ISTANBUL

Russia should focus on ending the war with Ukraine rather than testing missiles, US President Donald Trump said on Monday, a day after Moscow said it completed the test of its new nuclear-powered cruise missile Burevestnik.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling from Malaysia to Japan as part of a three-country Asia tour, Trump responded to Russia's new missile capable of traveling 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles).

He downplayed the significance of the test, saying the US has a nuclear submarine "right off their shores" that does not need to travel such distances. "We test missiles all the time," Trump added.

"You ought to get the war ended ... instead of testing missiles," he said.

Trump has led efforts to end the war in Ukraine since starting his second term in January. He met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in August but cancelled another planned summit in Budapest this month, saying he did not want a "wasted meeting."

Russia has refused the US and European demand to freeze the conflict on the current line of contact.