Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he was surprised that Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.

I thought he was negotiating when he sent his troops to the border, Trump told the Washington Examiner . I thought he was negotiating.

The president appeared to qualify his widely condemned praise of Putin last month as pretty smart and a genius for his troop buildup before the onslaught.

I thought it was a tough way to negotiate but a smart way to negotiate, Trump told the conservative outlet.

Trump said he believed Putins tactics were aimed at striking some sort of deal with the United States. The U.S., he claimed, never made a good trade with the Russians until I came along.

And then he went in and I think hes changed, Trump said. I think hes changed. Its a very sad thing for the world. Hes very much changed.

Trumps admiration for the Russian dictator has been an issue, even for some supporters.

In a recent interview with Fox News Sean Hannity as Russias attack on Ukraine intensified, Trump refused to call Putin evil , despite the Trump-supporting hosts prompts. And he stumbled to walk back his gushing over Putins strategy, dwelling on semantics instead.

In his interview with the Examiner, Trump retreated to his hollow claim that hed been very, very tough on Putin.

I get a bad rap on that, Trump insisted. At the same time, I got along with him very well. But I got along with most [world leaders] very well.