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By Anna Commander, John Feng, and Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Ukraine can reclaim all territory lost to Russia, marking a sharp shift from his earlier calls for Kyiv to make concessions.
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. State Department via online form for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump's evolving stance on the Russia-Ukraine war signals a major shift in the United States' foreign policy with global implications. After months of pressuring Ukraine for concessions and floating the idea of territorial swaps with Russia, Trump has now called for Ukraine to possibly reclaim lost territory and previously threatened sweeping new sanctions on Russia.
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These moves come amid continued Russian strikes in Ukraine and stalled peace talks, underscoring the U.S.'s pivotal role in shaping the conflict's trajectory and the security of Europe.
What To Know
Trump shared the new position in a social media post shortly after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “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.”
The president continued: "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! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," Trump said.
Last month, Trump commented that a peace agreement could involve "swapping of territories" between Russia and Ukraine, an apparent nod to negotiations over disputed regions. "Well, you're looking at territory that's been fought over for 3 1/2 years…you know, a lot of Russians have died. A lot of Ukrainians have died."
"So we're looking at that, but we're actually looking to get some back," Trump said, adding, "Some swapping. It's complicated…but we're going to get some back, we're going to get some switched. There'll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both, but we'll be talking about that either later or tomorrow."
Trump also previously threatened to impose 100 percent tariffs on Russia and secondary tariffs on other countries trading with Russia in July, if a peace deal is not reached within fifty days.
Zelenskyy told reporters on Tuesday, after meeting with Trump, that the president seems "closer to this situation" following his shift in remarks, The Associated Press reports.
“I see that Trump is a game changer, and Xi Jinping can also have influence on Russia,” Zelenskyy said. He also called his meeting with Trump a "good one," the AP notes.
What People Are Saying
Swedish economist and author Anders Aslund reacted to Trump's post on Tuesday on X: "How can anybody take Trump seriously on anything?"
Russian politician Dmitry Medvedev, on X: "Russia's ready to comply with the START Treaty, which I signed in 2010. Now the Trump admin must decide. But adhering to the letter of the treaty isn't enough. The US must give up on weakening Russia with sanctions and tariffs. Otherwise, the risk of direct conflict remains high."
What Happens Next
Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to publicly comment on Trump's statement as of Tuesday afternoon.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Update 9/23/25, 6:38 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 9/23/25, 4:35 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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