US president signals major shift on the Ukraine war after talks with Zelensky at the UN
US President Donald Trump has declared that Kyiv can reclaim all of Ukraine from Russia, marking a dramatic shift in his stance on the ongoing Ukraine war.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Ukraine could restore “the original borders from where this war started” with the backing of Europe and NATO, citing mounting pressure on Russia’s economy. He added that Ukraine might “go further than that,” though he did not clarify what he meant.
The announcement came shortly after Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in New York, following Trump’s speech at the UN General Assembly.
A Break From Trump’s Earlier Position
Trump had previously suggested that ending the war would require Ukraine to give up territory—an idea Zelensky has firmly rejected. But his new comments were welcomed in Kyiv as a “big shift.”
Zelensky told reporters at the UN that he understood the US was now prepared to offer security guarantees “after the war is finished,” possibly including air defences, weapons, and drones. Speaking later on Fox News, he called Trump’s new stance a “positive signal” that the US would “be with us to the end of the war.”
Kremlin Pushes Back
The Kremlin dismissed Trump’s remarks. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggested Trump had been influenced by Zelensky, calling his thesis that Ukraine could fight back “erroneous.”
While Trump described Russia as a “paper tiger” facing serious economic troubles, Peskov shot back: “Russia is in no way a tiger… it’s more associated with a bear, and there is no such thing as a paper bear.” He denied Russia’s economy was collapsing, though he admitted “points of tension” existed due to sanctions.
NATO and Escalating Tensions
Trump also urged NATO nations to shoot down Russian fighter jets and drones violating their airspace. Poland’s foreign minister quickly signaled approval, while NATO issued a statement condemning Russia’s “irresponsible and escalatory” actions.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized that the alliance is defensive but “not naive,” as Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki vowed his country was ready to “defend its territory” against Russian drones.
Meanwhile, the EU is moving to further tighten sanctions on Russian oil and gas, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen vowing Europe will be free of Russian fossil fuels by 2027.