Trump says decision to let Ukraine fire long-range strikes into Russia was ‘mistake’ that he ‘might’ reverse 

It was a mistake for the U.S. to allow Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia using Western long-range weapons, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said at his first post-election press conference on Monday.

“I don’t think that should have been allowed – certainly not just weeks before I take over. Why would they do that without asking me what I thought? I wouldn’t have had them do that. I think that was a big mistake they made,” Trump said. When asked if he planned to reverse the decision, he said that he “might.”

Asked what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should prepare for, Trump said the he should be ready to negotiate a ceasefire deal, though he did not specify the terms of a potential agreement. “He [Zelensky] should be prepared to make a deal, that’s all. […] Too many people being killed. Gotta make a deal. And Putin has to make a deal, too,” he said.

Trump also said that he had not invited Zelensky to his inauguration, scheduled for January 20, but that the Ukrainian leader would be “welcome” if he chose to attend.

Asked if Ukraine should cede some of its territory to Russia, Trump noted that many cities in the conflict zones have been almost completely destroyed. “You look at some of those cities and not one building standing. So when you say, ‘Take over the country’ — take over what? […] That's a 110-year rebuild,” he said.