In a dramatic reversal, President Trump said Ukraine can reclaim all land lost to Russia, backed NATO nations shooting down Russian aircraft, and called Moscow a “paper tiger.”
In a major policy shift, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that Ukraine could retake all territory seized by Russia, while also endorsing NATO countries’ right to shoot down intruding Russian aircraft.
Speaking after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Trump posted on Truth Social: “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.”
He added that restoring Ukraine’s original borders was “very much an option” with time, patience, and Europe’s financial support.
When pressed by reporters on NATO’s response to Russian incursions, Trump was blunt: “Yes, I do,” when asked if alliance members should shoot down Russian planes violating their airspace. On whether the U.S. would intervene, Trump said it would “depend on the circumstance” but praised NATO’s commitment to raise defense spending from 2% to 5% of GDP.
Frustration with Putin
Trump’s remarks mark another sharp reversal in his Ukraine stance. Earlier this year, he stunned allies by pushing for peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, even telling Zelensky in February: “You don’t have the cards.”
But after a failed summit with Putin in Alaska in August, followed by intensified Russian strikes, Trump’s tone hardened. “Unfortunately, that relationship didn’t mean anything,” he admitted.
On Truth Social, Trump said his shift came after analyzing Ukraine’s resilience and Russia’s growing economic crisis. “Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act,” he wrote, calling Moscow a “paper tiger” instead of a serious nuclear threat.
Strategic Implications
The statements reflect a profound pivot: Trump positioning NATO unity and Ukrainian resilience as key levers against Moscow, while signaling diminished faith in his personal rapport with Putin.
For Kyiv, the message was clear — Washington now sees total victory as possible. For Moscow, Trump’s new framing undercuts Russia’s nuclear bluff and paints its war effort as stalled and unsustainable.
