LONDON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised his “productive assembly” with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations Basic Meeting on Tuesday, after which Trump appeared to jettison his long-held skepticism of Kyiv’s battlefield ambitions.
Shortly after the assembly, Trump wrote on social media, “After attending to know and absolutely perceive the Ukraine/Russia Army and Financial state of affairs and, after seeing the Financial bother it’s inflicting Russia, I feel Ukraine, with the help of the European Union, is able to combat and WIN all of Ukraine again in its unique kind.”
It was not instantly clear whether or not Trump’s rhetorical shift could be matched with a coverage pivot. However the submit was met with cautious optimism in Kyiv, Oleksandr Merezhko — a member of the Ukrainian parliament representing Zelenskyy’s celebration and chair of the physique’s overseas affairs committee — instructed ABC Information.
Trump’s assertion marked a dramatic pivot away from the White Home’s established place that Kyiv will be unable to liberate the 20% or so of its internationally-recognized territory occupied by Russian forces since 2014.
Trump has repeatedly prompt that Zelenskyy must cede — or “swap” — some territory to realize a peace cope with Russian President Vladimir Putin, telling the Ukrainian president at a fractious February Oval Workplace assembly, “You do not have the playing cards.”
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the course of the eightieth United Nations Basic Meeting, in New York Metropolis, September 23, 2025.
Alexander Drago/Reuters
However on Tuesday, the president appeared to have modified his tune. “With time, endurance, and the monetary help of Europe and, specifically, Nato, the unique Borders from the place this Battle began, may be very a lot an possibility. Why not?” Trump wrote.
“Russia has been preventing aimlessly for 3 and a half years, a battle that ought to have taken a Actual Army Energy lower than per week to win,” he continued, suggesting Moscow was a “paper tiger” citing its battlefield failures.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov disputed Trump’s feedback, telling the RBC information company on Wednesday, “Russia is just not a tiger; Russia is extra intently related to a bear. There are not any paper bears. Russia is an actual bear.”
Peskov additionally rejected Trump’s suggestion that the Russian economic system was struggling. “Let’s not overlook that the world has entered a stage of fully unpredictable macroeconomic situations,” he instructed RBC.
“We’re persevering with our particular army operation to guard our pursuits and obtain the targets” set by Putin, Peskov stated. “We’re doing this for the current and way forward for our nation. For a lot of generations to return. Due to this fact, now we have no various.”
Trump, Peskov stated, “heard Zelenskyy’s model of occasions. Apparently, this model was the rationale for the evaluation we heard. We can’t agree with the whole lot right here.”
Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov is predicted to fulfill with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the UNGA on Wednesday.
Noting that deliberate assembly, Peskov stated that Russia-U.S. “channels of dialogue are working, we’re speaking to the People, and President Putin nonetheless extremely values Trump’s willingness to assist, Trump’s willingness to hunt an answer collectively.”
A Russian soldier stands outdoors a faculty within the city of Kurakhove, within the occupied Donetsk area, on Sept. 23, 2025.
Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy stated in a submit to Telegram that he was “grateful to President Trump for sturdy cooperation with the USA.”
“The president clearly understands the state of affairs and is properly knowledgeable about all facets of this battle,” Zelenskyy added. “We extremely respect his willpower to assist finish this battle.”
Talking to reporters after the assembly, Zelenskyy described Trump’s pivot as “an enormous shift, a extremely large shift.”
Requested if the social media submit by Trump is a “recreation changer” for the battle, Zelenskyy responded: “Trump is a recreation changer by himself.”
Zelenskyy added that he thinks the president is now conscious of “extra particulars” of what’s occurring on the battlefield, and prompt that U.S. intelligence on the state of affairs is aligned with Ukraine’s.
Zelenskyy additionally stated it was “excellent news” that Russia’s economic system is struggling amid the strains of its full-scale invasion, however that it was “unhealthy information” that Moscow nonetheless has the assets to fund its battle.
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the course of the eightieth United Nations Basic Meeting, in New York Metropolis, New York Metropolis, September 23, 2025.
Evan Vucci/AP
“Trump agreed with me that Putin will not await the battle in Ukraine to finish,” he added. “He’ll attempt to exploit weak locations in Europe, in NATO international locations, he’ll attempt to do it.”
Merezhko stated he noticed Trump’s assertion as a “nice shock, giving some hope that he lastly is beginning to view Russia’s battle towards Ukraine in a distinct mild.”
“On the identical time, realizing how usually Trump would possibly change his stance, we needs to be cautiously optimistic,” Merezhko added. “What issues are his actions, concrete steps to assist Ukraine, not solely rhetoric, nonetheless good it is perhaps.”
“Trump’s assertion implies that the U.S. will proceed to promote weapons to the European and NATO international locations for Ukraine,” he added. “And in addition it may be inferred from this assertion that Ukraine will not be restricted in the usage of American weaponry within the territory of Russia.”
Oleksiy Goncharenko, a distinguished opposition member of parliament, was much less sanguine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends an internet assembly with leaders of BRICS group of states from Sochi, Russia, on Sept. 8, 2025.
Vyacheslav Prokofyev/by way of Reuters
“Trump’s assertion is just not about Ukraine’s victory, it’s about washing fingers of the battle,” he wrote on Telegram. “He immediately says: ‘You cope with the EU there. I hope you succeed. Good luck to everybody!'”
“Clearly, proper now Russia doesn’t wish to cease,” Goncharenko added. “However our process is to not threat the lives of a whole bunch of hundreds, however to be on the protection.”
“The fact is that we’re neither shedding nor profitable,” he continued, warning that embarking on a expensive “battle of attrition” could be “idiocy.”
ABC Information’ Karen Travers, Michelle Stoddart, Hannah Demissie, Mariam Khan, Anna Sergeeva and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
