Zelensky celebrates Donald Trump admitting for the first time that Ukraine could win the war against Russia, highlighting the role of international support.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his satisfaction on Tuesday regarding the change in position of his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, on the war in Ukraine, highlighting that for the first time the president acknowledged that Kyiv could achieve victory over Moscow.
During a press conference, Zelensky stated that Trump’s words represent “a major shift,” referring to a message posted by the U.S. leader on Truth Social following their meeting in New York during the UN General Assembly.
In his message, Trump said: “Ukraine has great spirit and improving every day. It can reclaim its country in its original form and, who knows, perhaps even go further! Putin and Russia are facing serious economic problems, and this is the time for Ukraine to act.”
He also added that with time, patience, and financial support from Europe and NATO, restoring the original borders is a viable option, describing Russia as “a paper tiger” due to structural weaknesses in its military apparatus.
While acknowledging the new perspectives opened after his meeting with Trump, he stressed the urgency of concrete action and effective cooperation to push Russia toward a negotiated settlement restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Trump, in turn, reiterated that the U.S. will continue providing arms to NATO, allowing the alliance to determine their use in Europe, and urged European countries to stop purchasing energy from Russia to avoid “funding a war.” He also supported shooting down Russian aircraft that violate allied airspace.
Simultaneously, Zelensky participated in a special UN Security Council session focused on the Ukraine war.
Wearing all black, he highlighted Russia’s reliance on China and urged both powers to leverage their influence to pressure Moscow to end the invasion, now in its three-and-a-half-year. “If China truly wanted to stop this war, it could force Moscow to end the invasion,” he stated.
Zelensky also criticized the UN’s limited capacity to alter the conflict’s course and expressed confidence that international cooperation, particularly between the United States and the European Union, could lay the groundwork for an effective resolution.
Zelensky confirmed that the U.S. is willing to offer security guarantees to Ukraine once the conflict ends, though no written specifics are yet available on how that support will be implemented. “We don’t have specific details about the role,” he said, while emphasizing Trump’s positive attitude during discussions.
