INTERNATIONAL: Former U.S President Donald Trump held a rally in Michigan Saturday (April 2) where said, the "invasion of Ukraine would never have happened if I was in the White House."

Trump told the crowd he knows "Putin very well," and "that's a good thing, not a bad thing."

Trump's comments came as Ukraine said on Saturday its forces had seized back all areas around Kyiv, claiming complete control of the capital region for the first time since Russia launched the invasion.

Ukraine's troops have retaken more than 30 towns and villages around Kyiv since Russia pulled back from the area this week, Ukrainian officials said.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump Said:

"This invasion of Ukraine would never have happened if I was in the White House, not even a chance. It would have never happened, it would have never happened. Not even...and I know Putin very well. And they say oh 'he knows Putin, he knows Putin, that's a good thing, not a bad thing."

"Liberal democrats are trying to secure the borders of distant foreign countries many of which you have never even heard of. But I believe American's deserve a President who will secure our borders, the borders of our nation, who will protect our citizens, who will defend our sovereignty and stop the biggest invasion of our country, no one has seen anything like it. We are being invaded, and that's the word, by millions and millions of people."