President Donald Trump dramatically changed his stance on the Russia-Ukraine war Tuesday, saying Ukraine could reclaim all its territory lost to Russia, hours after delivering a controversial speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
After meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in New York, Trump wrote on Truth Social that “Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.” This marks a significant shift from his previous position that Ukraine would need to surrender territory to reach a peace deal with Russia.
“I’m beginning to fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation” Trump wrote, calling Russia a “paper tiger” with severe economic problems.
Zelensky welcomed the change as a “big shift” in a Fox News interview. “The fact that Putin was lying to President Trump so many times also made a difference between us,” Zelensky said.
Earlier in the day, Trump delivered a lengthy address to the UN General Assembly that ran well beyond the 15-minute time limit. He sharply criticized the UN as ineffective, questioned its purpose, and lectured member nations on their failings. “I’m really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell,” Trump told world leaders, drawing muted reactions from the audience.
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During his speech, Trump made several questionable claims, including that he had “ended seven unending wars” since taking office in January. He also called climate action “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world” and urged countries to abandon renewable energy.
The president complained multiple times about a malfunctioning escalator at UN headquarters. “All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that on the way up, stopped right in the middle,” he said.
When later asked by reporters if NATO should shoot down Russian military aircraft that enter alliance airspace, Trump responded, “Yes, I do.” Russian drones recently entered Polish airspace, and Russian fighters reportedly entered Estonian airspace on Friday.
Trump’s new position on Ukraine came after Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, agreed with his strategy of European countries reducing Russian energy purchases. “President Trump is absolutely right,” she said. “We’re on it.”
After initially bashing the UN in his speech, Trump met privately with Secretary-General António Guterres. According to a UN statement, Trump told Guterres the U.S. is “behind the UN 100 percent,” despite his earlier criticism.
The president’s address included factually questionable statements about migration, casualties in Ukraine, and the impact of his policies. He falsely claimed London Mayor Sadiq Khan wants to institute Shariah law, which Khan’s office declined to dignify with a response, saying only that “London is the greatest city in the world, safer than major U.S. cities.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking later at the UN, offered a starkly different vision, praising the organization’s purpose and importance while emphasizing the need to address climate change, which he said is “not under control, biodiversity is collapsing.”
Trump’s speech and subsequent meeting with Zelensky highlight the unpredictable nature of his foreign policy as European allies continue to navigate relations with his administration while addressing ongoing global conflicts.
