U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly shifted his stance on the ongoing war in Ukraine, now expressing confidence that Ukraine can reclaim all territory currently occupied by Russia. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump stated, “After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, 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.”
This statement was made shortly after Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the UN General Assembly on September 19, 2023. The remarks mark a notable departure from Trump’s previous skepticism regarding Ukraine’s capacity to recover its lost territories. Until now, he has suggested that Ukraine may need to concede some land to Russia in any potential peace negotiations.
In his post, Trump elaborated on his perspective, stating, “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 criticized Russia’s military efforts, asserting, “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.”
Trump’s comments imply a view of Russia as weakened, referring to the country as “a paper tiger.” He emphasized the economic challenges facing Russia, declaring, “Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act.”
In conclusion, he expressed good wishes for both countries and reaffirmed U.S. support for NATO, stating, “We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!”
Following Trump’s post, President Zelenskyy reacted positively, describing the shift in Trump’s perspective as “very positive.” Earlier that day at the UN, Trump highlighted the role of countries like China and India in funding Russia’s war through oil purchases. He also criticized EU and NATO nations for their failure to halt Russian energy imports.
This change in rhetoric from Trump could have significant implications for the ongoing conflict and the dynamics of international support for Ukraine.
