U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to issue an about-face on Washington’s Ukraine policy, posting to Truth Social on Tuesday that “I think 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 refutes past U.S. claims that Kyiv must be prepared to concede some of its Russian-occupied territory to Moscow in order to secure an eventual peace deal.
Trump’s statement comes roughly a month after hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and seven other European leaders at the White House, during which Trump suggested that Kyiv give up Crimea and several other regions that Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded. Moscow currently controls roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
Read Trump’s full statement below:
“After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form. With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option. Why not? Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger.’ When the people living in Moscow, and all of the Great Cities, Towns, and Districts all throughout Russia, find out what is really going on with this War, the fact that it’s almost impossible for them to get Gasoline through the long lines that are being formed, and all of the other things that are taking place in their War Economy, where most of their money is being spent on fighting Ukraine, which has Great Spirit, and only getting better, Ukraine would be able to take back their Country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that! Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act. In any event, I wish both Countries well. We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!”
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