U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday declared that Ukraine could retake all of its Russian-occupied territory, including Crimea, urging Kyiv to act now while Moscow faces what he called “big economic trouble.” The statement marks a dramatic departure from Trump’s previous suggestions that Ukraine consider ceding land to secure peace.
“Putin and Russia are in BIG economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act,” Trump wrote on Truth Social following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.
“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.
The comments stunned many observers, given Trump’s earlier proposals hinting at territorial concessions as part of a peace deal. Europe’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomed the remarks, saying they represented “very strong statements that we haven’t heard before… it is really good that we are in the same understanding now.”
Zelenskyy described his talks with Trump as “good, constructive” and praised the shift in tone as a positive signal. Speaking later to Fox News, he said Kyiv and Washington’s positions were now “closer than any time before.”
Despite the supportive rhetoric, there was no immediate indication of a major U.S. policy change. Trump’s only concrete commitment was to continue supplying weapons to NATO allies for them to direct toward Ukraine under existing procurement mechanisms.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated at the U.N. Security Council that Washington still hopes for a negotiated settlement but warned that continued Russian aggression would “impose costs.”
Zelenskyy again pressed for tougher sanctions on Moscow, saying such measures were necessary to force Russia into talks. He said Trump had shown openness to providing security guarantees to Ukraine once the war ends, a step Zelenskyy said could be a “game-changer.”
Russia dismissed Trump’s remarks. “Don’t get so excited about every tweet,” said Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador.
Some U.S. analysts urged caution. Former congressman and ex-diplomat Tom Malinowski called the statement “an amazing 180-degree turn, which might not last long,” adding that the key question is whether Trump will follow up with action.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
