Trump Says Ukraine Will Win Back Every Inch of Land with NATO Support
Trump endorses Ukraine's victory with NATO's support.
President Donald Trump declared Tuesday that Ukraine, backed by NATO and the European Union, could fully reclaim territories lost to Russia. The statement, posted on social media after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the UN General Assembly, marks a sharp departure from Trump’s earlier calls for Kyiv to concede land to end the war.
“I think Ukraine, with European Union support, can fight and WIN all of Ukraine back,” Trump wrote, emphasizing NATO’s financial backing as key to restoring Ukraine’s original borders. This shift bolsters Zelenskyy’s push to maintain pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose invasion began in 2022.
Zelenskyy, buoyed by Trump’s stance, called him a “game changer” after their talks. The Ukrainian leader highlighted battlefield progress and urged stronger US and European sanctions on Russia, particularly targeting its oil and gas exports. Trump echoed this, criticizing Russia’s faltering economy and labeling its prolonged war effort a sign of weak leadership. “Russia’s fighting aimlessly for three and a half years in a war that should’ve taken a week,” he posted, calling Russia a “paper tiger.”
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In his UN speech, Trump mocked Russia’s military struggles, saying the conflict was “supposed to be a quick skirmish” but instead exposed Putin’s failures. He reiterated openness to tougher sanctions and urged Europe to halt Russian energy imports, a call echoed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who confirmed new EU sanctions.
Trump’s pivot follows his August summit with Putin in Alaska, where he previously suggested “land swapping” to resolve the conflict, including Russia retaining Donetsk and Luhansk. Those remarks drew criticism from Zelenskyy and European allies, who feared weakened US support for Ukraine’s sovereignty. Now, Trump’s stance aligns more closely with Kyiv’s goals, though Putin has shown no interest in direct talks with Zelenskyy, and Russian attacks on Ukraine have intensified.
Zelenskyy, addressing a UN Security Council session, stressed Moscow’s sensitivity to US pressure, despite past tensions with Trump. European leaders, wary of Russian provocations like recent airspace violations over Estonia, welcomed Trump’s support for NATO’s response to such incidents, though he stopped short of committing direct US involvement.
The war, now in its fourth year, continues to devastate Ukraine. Russian missile and drone strikes killed at least two civilians recently, while Ukrainian drone attacks targeted Moscow. The UN reported a 40% rise in civilian casualties in 2025 compared to 2024, underscoring the conflict’s growing toll.
Trump’s newfound optimism for Ukraine’s victory, if sustained, could reshape US policy and galvanize NATO’s resolve, offering Zelenskyy a critical ally in his fight to reclaim Ukraine’s lost territory.
