Donald Trump has delivered one of his clearest endorsements of Ukraine’s war effort since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Speaking at the United Nations in New York after meeting president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump declared that Ukraine can win back all of its territory if Europe and NATO continue to provide support.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump argued that Russia was in severe economic difficulty and that the situation gave Kyiv a chance to push forward. “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 wrote. He added that patience, European financial aid, and NATO backing could restore Ukraine’s original borders.
Trump said Moscow’s failure to secure victory in more than three years of fighting revealed deep flaws in its military strength. “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,” he said. The president called Russia a “paper tiger,” pointing to fuel shortages and long petrol lines as evidence of weakness.
He also pledged to keep supplying weapons to NATO for members to use as they see fit. Zelenskyy hailed the remarks as a “big shift” and suggested Trump might even influence China to soften its backing of Moscow.
The U.S. president also sharpened his criticism of NATO countries still importing Russian oil. In his UN speech, he called such purchases “embarrassing,” insisting that Europe must cut ties with Russian energy. “They’re funding the war against themselves,” he said. Trump warned that he would not move ahead with a long-promised package of tariffs on Moscow until European nations joined the United States in stronger sanctions.
Trump’s tariff plan would target countries that continue business with Russia, including India and China. Washington has already set a 50% tariff on Indian goods, though ongoing talks may reduce that rate. Despite his close ties with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, Trump said he may pressure him to end Russian oil imports. Hungary is one of the EU’s most vocal opponents of sanctions and relies heavily on the Druzhba oil pipeline and the TurkStream gas line.
Hungary’s foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, defended the country’s energy stance. He said Budapest could not guarantee supplies without Russian sources due to infrastructure limits. “It can be nice to dream about buying oil and gas from somewhere else … but without Russian supplies it is impossible to ensure the safe supply of the country,” he said.
Slovakia, the other EU country still dependent on Russian oil, has been more flexible. Its economy minister, Denisa Saková, said her government is open to diversifying energy routes if capacity allows. Both Hungary and Slovakia have previously pressed the EU to scale back aid to Kyiv.
Trump’s push for Europe to end energy imports comes as the EU prepares its 19th sanctions package. That plan includes tighter export controls and penalties on more than 40 companies accused of helping Russia avoid sanctions. Twelve Chinese firms and several Indian and Thai entities are on the list.
The U.S. president also stirred debate by suggesting NATO aircraft should shoot down Russian planes if they entered allied airspace. He later softened the statement, saying the response would depend on the situation. His secretary of state, Marco Rubio, took a more cautious line, stressing that NATO should only act “if they’re attacking.”
During his appearance with Zelenskyy, Trump praised the Ukrainian leader as a “brave man” and said he would reassess his trust in Russian president Vladimir Putin within a month. His sharp comments on Moscow’s military and economic troubles show a new confidence that Kyiv can succeed.
By portraying Russia as weakened and vulnerable, Trump is urging both Ukraine and Europe to seize the moment. His message combined promises of U.S. backing with pressure on allies to strengthen sanctions. For Ukraine, it was a clear signal of Washington’s support as the war grinds on.
