US President Donald Trump has said Kyiv can win all of Ukraine back in its original form, marking a major shift in his position on the war with Russia.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, he said Ukraine could get back the original borders from where this war started with the support of Europe and NATO, due to pressures on Russia's economy.
His comments came after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, held after Trump had addressed the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to end the war, but has previously warned that process would likely involve Ukraine giving up some territory, an outcome Zelensky has consistently rejected.
In his post, Trump added Ukraine could maybe even go further than that, but did not specify what he was referring to. He also made no reference to Crimea, which was invaded and annexed by Russia in 2014. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, suggested the reason for Trump's change of tone was that he had just talked to the Ukrainian president, stating the comments were under the influence of the vision put forward by Zelensky... this vision is in absolute contrast with our understanding of the current state of affairs.
The thesis that Ukraine can fight something back, we believe it erroneous. The situation on the front line speaks for itself, he added.
Trump explained that his position had changed after getting to know the Ukraine/Russia military and economic situation, labeling Russia a paper tiger and stating their economy was struggling.
Zelensky praised the big shift in Trump's position and suggested that it implied US support would continue through to the end of the war, hinting at possibilities of increased military aid.
Trump's recent statements reflect an effort to reshape the ongoing narrative surrounding the conflict, positioning the US as a supportive ally for Ukraine in reclaiming its territories.
