It's complicated. Ukraine didn't directly attack Russian people or infrastructure, but they did take actions that would have reduced Russia power, and Russia did consider that casus belli. From that perspective, Ukraine did start the war.

I don't agree with this interpretation, and I think it is hard to square with "international law", but it is a form of realpolitik that the U.S. has engaged in previously (and likely will in the future), overthrowing or manipulating Central and South American nations, in particular.

It doesn't surprise me AT ALL, that Trump would buy into this interpretation. Even without his known Russian biases due to funding, he really doesn't see the point or ethics or morality. For him it's just about power and heirarchy, so realpolitik is his only possible perspective on how any government or leader should behave.