President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) via Associated Press
Donald Trump has attacked Russia and claimed Ukraine can win back all of its land as performed an astonishing U-turn on the war.
The US president, who has repeatedly criticised Kyiv in the past, said “the original borders from where this war started is very much an option” if Ukraine gets enough support from Europe and Nato.
Despite his previous praise for Vladimir Putin, Trump said he now believed Russia in in “economic trouble” as a result of the war.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said: “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: “Ukraine would be able to take back their Country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that! Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act. In any event, I wish both Countries well. We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!”
Trump made his comments after meeting with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the United Nations in New York.
Speaking Fox News, Zelenskyy said Trump’s surprising change of heart was a “positive signal” that Trump”will be with us to the end of the war”.
“I think the fact that Putin was lying to President Trump so many times also made a difference between us,” he told Fox host Bret Baier.
Earlier, Trump also told Nato countries to shoot down Russian jets if they enter their airspace – a move which would risk triggering a full-blown war.
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