President Donald Trump declared Tuesday that Ukraine could win back all its territory from Russia, marking a dramatic departure from his earlier calls for Kyiv to concede land to end the war.
“I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” Trump wrote on social media shortly after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option,” he added.
The comments, if sustained, are a major boost for Zelenskyy, who has urged Washington to maintain pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Only weeks ago, Trump had argued Ukraine would never be able to reclaim all land seized by Moscow since its 2014 annexation of Crimea a stance that unsettled European leaders and Kyiv alike.
After their meeting, Zelenskyy hailed Trump’s turnaround, “Trump is a game changer by himself.”
In his address to the General Assembly, Trump ridiculed Russia’s faltering campaign: “Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger.’”
He added that what was supposed to be “a quick little skirmish” has instead become a humiliating drain on Moscow. “It shows you what leadership is, what bad leadership can do to a country. The only question now is how many lives will be needlessly lost on both sides.”
Trump, who had previously floated “land swaps” as part of a peace deal with Putin, now says sanctions and tariffs may be the only way to end the conflict if Moscow refuses to negotiate. “In the event that Russia is not ready to make a deal to end the war, then the United States is fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs, which would stop the bloodshed, I believe, very quickly,” he told world leaders.
The reversal comes amid growing European alarm over Russian provocations, including the violation of Estonian airspace by three Russian fighter jets last week. Trump said he would support NATO allies who chose to shoot down intruding Russian aircraft, while stressing U.S. involvement would depend on the circumstances.
Zelenskyy welcomed Trump’s calls for Europe to tighten the screws on Moscow by halting oil and gas imports. “We have great respect for the fight that Ukraine is putting up,” Trump told him, while Zelenskyy replied he had “good news” from the battlefield.
The UN Human Rights Office reported Tuesday that civilian casualties in Ukraine rose by 40% in the first eight months of 2025 compared with 2024, underscoring the stakes of Trump’s new position. The report accused Russian authorities of systematic torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian detainees in occupied territories.
French President Emmanuel Macron praised Trump’s shift, saying, “I welcome the fact that the president of the United States believes in Ukraine’s ability not only to hold the course but to prevail.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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