Former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov says US President Donald Trump and his administration do not understand Russian President Vladimir Putin's goal in the Ukraine conflict.

Kasyanov made the remarks in an NHK interview on Saturday, in reference to Trump's announcement that he and Putin have agreed to start peace talks for Ukraine.

He served as prime minister during Putin's first term as president that started in 2000. But he was later fired for disagreements over policies and other factors. Since then, he has become a critic of Putin's administration. He now lives outside Russia.

Kasyanov told NHK that Trump just wants an end to the fighting, but that Putin wants a long-term solution.

He said that Putin wants to discuss with Trump a new security architecture in Europe, including expansion of NATO, as well as the Middle East situation.

He added that Putin wants to see the two powers decide the fate of the world, as it was in the Soviet times.

He also said he does not believe that any agreements on Ukraine can be reached in the coming months.

As for the fighting in Ukraine, Kasyanov said Putin believes that he will win the war of attrition, despite the support for Ukraine from the Western countries, because of Russia's greater human and economic resources.