LONDON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised his “productive assembly” with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations Normal 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 Navy and Financial state of affairs and, after seeing the Financial hassle it’s inflicting Russia, I believe Ukraine, with the assist of the European Union, is able to struggle and WIN all of Ukraine again in its unique type.”
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 social gathering and chair of the physique’s overseas affairs committee — informed ABC Information.
Trump’s assertion marked a dramatic pivot away from the White Home’s established place that Kyiv won’t be able to liberate the 20% or so of its internationally-recognized territory occupied by Russian forces since 2014.
Trump has repeatedly instructed 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 Normal 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 assist of Europe and, specifically, Nato, the unique Borders from the place this Warfare began, may be very a lot an possibility. Why not?” Trump wrote.
“Russia has been preventing aimlessly for 3 and a half years, a warfare that ought to have taken a Actual Navy Energy lower than every 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 just isn’t a tiger; Russia is extra carefully related to a bear. There are not any paper bears. Russia is an actual bear.”
Peskov additionally rejected Trump’s suggestion that the Russian financial system was struggling. “Let’s not overlook that the world has entered a stage of utterly unpredictable macroeconomic situations,” he informed RBC.
“We’re persevering with our particular army operation to guard our pursuits and obtain the targets” set by Putin, Peskov mentioned. “We’re doing this for the current and way forward for our nation. For a lot of generations to come back. Due to this fact, we’ve no different.”
Trump, Peskov mentioned, “heard Zelenskyy’s model of occasions. Apparently, this model was the explanation for the evaluation we heard. We can not agree with every part right here.”
Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov is anticipated to fulfill with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the UNGA on Wednesday.
Noting that deliberate assembly, Peskov mentioned that Russia-U.S. “channels of dialogue are working, we’re speaking to the Individuals, 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 college within the city of Kurakhove, within the occupied Donetsk area, on Sept. 23, 2025.
Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy mentioned in a submit to Telegram that he was “grateful to President Trump for robust cooperation with the US.”
“The president clearly understands the state of affairs and is properly knowledgeable about all facets of this warfare,” Zelenskyy added. “We extremely respect his willpower to assist finish this warfare.”
Talking to reporters after the assembly, Zelenskyy described Trump’s pivot as “a giant shift, a extremely huge shift.”
Requested if the social media submit by Trump is a “recreation changer” for the warfare, 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 taking place on the battlefield, and instructed that U.S. intelligence on the state of affairs is aligned with Ukraine’s.
Zelenskyy additionally mentioned it was “excellent news” that Russia’s financial 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 warfare.
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the course of the eightieth United Nations Normal Meeting, in New York Metropolis, New York Metropolis, September 23, 2025.
Evan Vucci/AP
“Trump agreed with me that Putin will not look forward to the warfare 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 mentioned he noticed Trump’s assertion as a “nice shock, giving some hope that he lastly is beginning to view Russia’s warfare in opposition to Ukraine in a unique gentle.”
“On the identical time, realizing how usually Trump would possibly change his stance, we must be cautiously optimistic,” Merezhko added. “What issues are his actions, concrete steps to assist Ukraine, not solely rhetoric, nevertheless good it may be.”
“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 likewise it may be inferred from this assertion that Ukraine will not be restricted in using 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 just isn’t about Ukraine’s victory, it’s about washing palms of the warfare,” he wrote on Telegram. “He straight says: ‘You cope with the EU there. I hope you succeed. Good luck to everybody!'”
“Clearly, proper now Russia doesn’t need to cease,” Goncharenko added. “However our job is to not threat the lives of lots of of hundreds, however to be on the protection.”
“The truth is that we’re neither shedding nor profitable,” he continued, warning that embarking on a pricey “warfare of attrition” could be “idiocy.”
ABC Information’ Karen Travers, Michelle Stoddart, Hannah Demissie, Mariam Khan, Anna Sergeeva and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
