Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday exhibited no desire to revisit the glowing opinion of Russian president Vladimir Putin he’d shared across multiple news appearances this year after Mr Putin ordered an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on Wednesday.

       Mr Pompeo, who earlier that day told Conservative Political Action Conference attendees there was “no greater threat” to the US than public schools that do not teach history in ways that do not offend conservatives, praised Mr Putin as “talented” and “savvy” in an interview last week.

       In a separate interview, the former top US diplomat said he had “enormous respect” for Mr Putin, who has kept himself in power for more than two decades by imprisoning or killing opposition figured and political opponents.

       “Very shrewd. Very capable. I have enormous respect for him,” Mr Pompeo said while speaking to the Centre for the National Interest.

       But when The Independent asked him whether he regretted the comments, Mr Pompeo declined to answer the question.

       Recommended Ukraine-Russia news: Putin tells Ukraine forces to overthrow Zelensky What are the issues between Ukraine and Russia? The crisis explained

       The former diplomat and potential 2024 presidential candidate also dodged follow-up questions from The Independent on whether unprovoked invasions of other countries are ever “savvy”.

       Mr Pompeo is the only former secretary of state to offer praise for Mr Putin in the days before or after his invasion of Ukraine.

       On Friday, he also joined many other fellow Republicans in blaming President Joe Biden for the invasion, which was ordered by Mr Putin late on Wednesday.

       “We've seen a Russian dictator now terrorise the Ukrainian people because America didn't demonstrate the resolve that we did for the four years prior,” he said.