President Donald Trump declared Tuesday that Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia, marking a dramatic reversal from his previous position that called for Ukrainian territorial concessions to end the war.
Speaking during the United Nations General Assembly, Trump said Ukraine, with support from the European Union and NATO, could return to its original borders. Trump says he now thinks Ukraine can win back all territory taken by Russia. He characterised Russia as a “paper tiger” U.N. highlights: Trump says Ukraine could win back all land that ‘paper tiger’ Russia took – The Washington Post, suggesting the country’s economic vulnerabilities present an opportunity for Ukrainian victory.
The policy shift follows Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the UN gathering. Trump stated he reached this conclusion “after getting to know and fully understand” the Ukrainian situation Trump says he now thinks Ukraine can win back all territory taken by Russia.
The announcement represents a significant departure from Trump’s earlier stance, where he had repeatedly suggested that Ukraine would need to cede territory as part of any peace agreement with Russia CNBCPBS. The new position extends to areas occupied or annexed by Russia since 2014 Trump suggests Ukraine could reclaim territory from Russia | PBS News, though Trump has not specifically addressed the status of Crimea.
NATO Airspace Tensions
The policy announcement coincided with escalating tensions over Russian military activities. Trump endorsed NATO countries shooting down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace The Washington PostAxios, a position that has drawn support from some alliance members.
NATO has accused Russia of violating the airspace of Poland and Estonia, with Norway revealing that Russia breached its airspace three times in 2025 In extraordinary shift, Trump says Ukraine can win war with Russia.
Strategic Implications
This shift represents one of the most significant foreign policy reversals of Trump’s presidency. The change moves away from his previous calls for Ukrainian concessions Trump says he now believes Ukraine can win back all territory lost to Russia with NATO’s help toward a position more aligned with Kyiv’s stated war aims of complete territorial restoration.
The timing of the announcement during the UN General Assembly suggests a coordinated diplomatic effort to reinforce international support for Ukraine’s position in the ongoing conflict.
