President Donald Trump has made a major reversal on the Russia war, claiming on Tuesday that Ukraine could retake all of its lost territory and more.

The significant shift in stance comes a little more than a month after the U.S. president initially agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a possible peace agreement that included Ukraine handing over some of its territories to the invading forces.

After observing the economic challenges now facing Russia, the president expressed on Truth Social that he believes Ukraine, backed by the European Union, can actually reclaim all of its land and emerge victorious. This statement followed his discussions at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday afternoon.

He further emphasized that with dedication, patience, and financial backing from Europe, particularly NATO, restoring the original borders where this conflict began is indeed a plausible objective.

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. 

Donald Trump said that NATO nations should shoot down Russian planes if they enter their countries’ airspace

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. 

‘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 ‘backup’ or ‘help out’ NATO allies who did 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.’

Russia has denied intent and claims the range limits of their 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.