Trump declares Ukraine can retake all territory from Putin in dramatic reversal after Russian fighter jet incursion
By Jon Michael Raasch and Katelyn Caralle
Daily Mail
Sep 23, 2025
Donald Trump said that NATO nations should shoot down Russian planes if they enter their countries' airspace
President Donald Trump has made a major reversal on the Russia war, claiming on Tuesday that Ukraine is positioned to retake all of its lost territory and more.
The dramatic change of heart comes just over a month after the U.S. president agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a potential peace plan involving Ukraine ceding its land to the invading forces.
'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,' the president wrote on Truth Social Tuesday afternoon after meetings at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
'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.'
Trump noted in his lengthy statement that Russia looks like 'a paper tiger' that may not be able to support its lofty military ambitions with a depleted force. He claimed a 'real military power' would have been able to win the war in less than a week.
The Republican also committed to giving NATO additional weapons so they can continue supplying Ukraine with munitions, vehicles and more in its war effort.
It comes right after Trump insisted that NATO nations should feel emboldened to shoot down Russian planes if they enter their countries' airspace.
The change in heart comes after Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace this week amid the ongoing war with Ukraine. Russian jets also provoked the U.S.'s European allies in recent days after flying fighter jets into NATO airspace.
When pressed by his Truth Social statement, Trump reiterated to reporters that Ukraine 'can fight too' and suggested he wants to 'let them get their land back.'
Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at United Nations headquarters on Tuesday, Trump suggested that the U.S. might back up North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries forced to take action if Russia provokes them.
Trump suggested that the U.S. might back up NATO countries forced to take action if Russia provokes them
'Do you think that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace?' a reporter asked Trump.
'Yes, I do,' he replied.
Another reporter asked Trump if the U.S. would 'back up' or 'help out' NATO allies who shoot down Russian planes.
Trump said it 'depends on the circumstance, but we're very strong towards NATO.'
World leaders are gathered in New York City this week for the United Nations General Assembly. Trump delivered remarks to the entire body on Tuesday morning and is engaging in bilateral and multilateral meetings through the afternoon – including with Zelensky.
Trump has grown frustrated with the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and appears to be losing patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin's apparent unwillingness to reach a deal.
At his meeting with Zelensky on Tuesday, Trump urged NATO allies to strike Russian aircraft flying over their countries' borders.
Trump made remarks to other world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on September 23, 2025
There have been three major instances this month where Russian craft entered the airspace of countries that were not Ukraine.
On September 19, three Russian MiG-31 jets entered Estonian airspace for 12 minutes over the Gulf of Finland. NATO intercepted but did not engage with the aircraft.
A few days later, on September 21, a Russian IL-20M reconnaissance plane entered neutral Baltic Sea airspace. German and Swedish jets intercepted that plane.
And then on Monday, September 22, Russian warplanes entered Romanian and Polish airspace during exercises.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called it a 'large-scale provocation' and warned it was the closest Poland has come to open conflict since World War II. He invoked NATO Article 4 for consultations.
'We will make a decision to shoot down flying objects without discussion when they violate our territory and fly over Poland. There is no room for debate here,' Tusk said on Monday.
And Poland's Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski told the UN Security Council on Tuesday: 'If another missile or aircraft enters our space without permission... and gets shot down... please don't come here to whine about it. You have been warned.'
Fire breaks out after the Russian aerial and drone attacks on Zaporizhzhia in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine on September 22, 2025. At least five hits on civilian infrastructure are recorded
Russia has denied intent and claims the range limits of its drones could not reach Poland. Moscow blamed electronic warfare disruptions for their aircraft entering foreign airspace.
Trump welcomed Putin for a three-hour meeting in Anchorage, Alaska on August 15. It was their first in-person summit since Trump's reelection and was aimed at the U.S. president helping negotiate terms to end the war with Ukraine.
Putin's visit to Alaska marked the first time the U.S. hosted a meeting with a Russian president since 2007.
Walking away from the meeting, Trump said that he wanted to see Putin and Zelensky hold talks without him and that he would help facilitate a deal if needed.
The two have failed to set up a bilateral meeting since then and the war has raged on.
1 comment:
Crimea is MUCH TOO VALUABLE to Russia for them to leave.
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