In a striking turnaround, President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that he believes Ukraine has the potential to reclaim all territory seized by Russia—marking a dramatic departure from his previous calls for Kyiv to make concessions to end the conflict.
Shortly after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Trump took to social media to share his remarks.
“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. “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.”
If sustained, Trump’s newfound support marks a significant victory for Zelenskyy, who has repeatedly urged the U.S. president to maintain pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his war. The stance represents a sharp departure from Trump’s earlier claims that Ukraine would never be able to reclaim the territory Russia has held since the 2014 seizure of the Crimean Peninsula.
Previously, Trump’s stance had disheartened Zelenskyy, alarmed Europeans, and raised doubts about America’s commitment to U.N. principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. Now, however, Zelenskyy said, Trump’s perspective on the battlefield appears to align more closely with Ukraine’s.
“Trump is a game changer by himself,” Zelenskyy told reporters following their meeting.
Trump needles Russia about war in Ukraine
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, the fire following a Russian missile attack is seen in Tatarbunary, Odesa region, Ukraine, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency)
Returning to his 2024 campaign promises, Trump insisted he could swiftly end the war. Yet, his peace initiatives appear to have faltered following last month’s diplomatic whirlwind, which included a summit with Putin and White House meetings with Zelenskyy and European allies.
Trump has openly acknowledged—including in his U.N. address to world leaders—that he initially believed resolving the conflict would be "the easiest," citing his strong personal rapport with Putin. He signaled willingness to impose additional sanctions on Russia and urged European nations to follow suit.
“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 wrote on social media. “This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger.’”
In his address to the General Assembly, Trump remarked that the war in Ukraine was making Russia "look bad," noting it had been expected to be only a "quick little skirmish."
“It shows you what leadership is, what bad leadership can do to a country,” he said. “The only question now is how many lives will be needlessly lost on both sides.”
Before meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump highlighted that the "biggest progress" toward ending the conflict was the severe state of the Russian economy. Zelenskyy expressed agreement with Trump’s call for European nations to step up efforts to curb imports of Russian oil and natural gas.
"We have great respect for the fight Ukraine is putting up," Trump told Zelenskyy, who responded by sharing that he had "good news" from the battlefield.
How Trump’s stance has shifted on Ukraine
Ahead of his Alaska summit with Putin last month, Trump reiterated that any resolution to the war would necessitate "some land swapping."
In subsequent talks with Zelenskyy and European officials, Trump said Putin reaffirmed his demand for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that comprise the Donbas, according to European sources. Days later, Zelenskyy joined prominent European leaders at the White House.
Following those meetings, Trump announced plans to arrange direct talks between Putin and Zelenskyy. However, Putin has shown no interest in meeting Zelenskyy, while Moscow has only escalated its bombardment of Ukraine.
European leaders, along with American lawmakers—including some of Trump’s Republican allies—have pressed the president to impose tougher sanctions on Russia.
“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,” Trump told the General Assembly.
Nevertheless, he reiterated his call for Europe to "step it up" and halt purchases of Russian oil—the very fuel powering Putin’s war machine.
Push for sanctions and cutting off Russian oil
Before meeting with Trump, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Europe would be implementing additional sanctions and tariffs on Russia, while further curbing its imports of Russian energy.
Speaking at a special U.N. Security Council session on Ukraine, Zelenskyy called for heightened U.S. pressure on Russia.
“Moscow fears America and always pays attention to it,” Zelenskyy said, noting that he has had strained relations with Trump in previous meetings and was once partly blamed by the White House for Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Russia dismissed the Security Council meeting as merely the New York leg of a world tour led by a "former actor," a clear jab at Zelenskyy.
“There is no added value for the establishment of peace in Ukraine generated from today’s meeting,” said Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia’s deputy ambassador to the U.N. “This will merely become yet another shameful episode in the market of hypocrisy.”
European leaders have backed Zelenskyy’s diplomatic initiatives, expressing concern that the conflict could spill beyond Ukraine amid what they describe as ongoing Russian provocations.
“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, French President Emmanuel Macron said.
At Estonia’s request, NATO allies will convene formal consultations on Tuesday, following reports that three Russian fighter jets entered the Baltic country’s airspace last week without authorization.
Trump said he would support NATO countries that choose to shoot down Russian planes intruding into their airspace, but stressed that direct U.S. involvement would hinge on the specific circumstances.
New strikes in Ukraine as toll of war grows
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following a Russian missile attack in Tatarbunary, Odesa region, Ukraine, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service)
Since its outbreak on February 24, 2022, the full-scale war has taken a heavy toll on Ukrainian civilians. Russia reported shooting down three dozen Ukrainian drones en route to Moscow, while Ukraine said Russian missiles, drones, and bombs have killed at least two civilians.
The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights reported this month that Ukrainian civilian casualties rose by 40% in the first eight months of 2025 compared with 2024, as Russia intensified long-range missile attacks and localized drone strikes.
A report released Tuesday by the U.N. Human Rights Office detailed the dire conditions facing thousands of civilians detained by Russia in territories of Ukraine under its control.
“Russian authorities have subjected Ukrainian civilian detainees in occupied territory to torture and ill-treatment, including sexual violence, in a widespread and systematic manner,” the report said.
