In major shift, Trump says he now thinks Ukraine can win back all of its territory taken by Russia

President Donald Trump said Tuesday afternoon that he thinks Ukraine, with help from the European Union, could win back its territory from Russia and return the country to its original borders.

The president had suggested numerous times that giving up some land would be a key component of resolving Ukraine's war with Russia.
"After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, 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 said in a lengthy post on Truth Social.

The president said that with the financial support of NATO, returning Ukraine to its original borders is "very much an option." He added that 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."

Trump suggested that once Russian citizens realize how much is being spent on fighting Ukraine, which he said 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!"

The president said Russian President Vladimir Putin and his country are in "BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act." He said that the U.S. will continue to supply weapons to NATO "for NATO to do what they want with them."

Asked about Trump's post, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters: "It’s a big shift. This post of Trump it’s a big shift. Very positive."

It wasn’t immediately clear if Trump envisions the borders returning to what they were before Russia invaded in February 2022, or if it would also include Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.

The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The president’s post represents a significant shift from previous statements regarding the conflict. While Trump had become increasingly critical of Putin, especially since their bilateral meeting last month in Alaska, he had generally maintained a more neutral approach when trying to bring both sides together for negotiations.