Many people had been wondering what Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin would say about Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Well, Ovechkin finally faced the media on Friday and was asked directly about it.

The Capitals star mostly tried to deflect, though he acknowledged a desire for this conflict to end soon and for there to be peace:

After quite a bit of buildup and speculation about Vladimir Putin's intentions, Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this week, sparking outrage across the world. A number of athletes have spoken out about the invasion, including some from Russia. Tennis star Andrey Rublev sent a strong “no more war” message after a victory in Dubai.

Ovechkin echoed that message, though the Capitals star wouldn't condemn Putin's actions. Via The Athletic:

“Well, he is my president. But how I said, I am not in politics. I am an athlete and you know, how I said, I hope everything is going to be done soon,” Ovechkin said. “It's (a) hard situation right now for both sides and everything. Everything I hope is going to end. I'm not in control of this situation.”

The Capitals veteran is a known Putin supporter, with his Instagram profile picture even a photo of him with the Russian president. The 36-year-old Moscow native also has family living in Russia, so it's no real surprise that he refused to speak out against Putin.

The images and stories coming out of Ukraine have been devastating, and most people are hoping this is all over soon.