Two of President Donald Trump¡¯s top advisers declined to describe Russia as the aggressor in the war in Ukraine, as the administration seeks Vladimir Putin¡¯s support for a peace deal.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Mike Waltz both avoided direct answers in television interviews on Sunday, portraying the question as a distraction from Trump¡¯s diplomacy.

¡°My question is, does all the finger-pointing and pearl-clutching make peace more likely?¡± Hegseth said on Fox News Sunday.