I haven't been sanguine about Ukraine's chances in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Russia would seem to have all the advantages: more men, more weapons, more resources, and while Russia could conceivably seize and occupy Ukraine, the converse is not true.
President Trump does not, at the moment, share that view. At the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, he evidently gained some new insights and took to his Truth Social platform to explain his current view.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 23, 2025
The president's post reads in full (paragraph breaks added by me to make it easier to read):
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.
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. Why not? 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. In fact, it is very much making them look like “a paper tiger.”
When the people living in Moscow, and all of the Great Cities, Towns, and Districts all throughout Russia, find out what is really going on with this War, the fact that it’s almost impossible for them to get Gasoline through the long lines that are being formed, and all of the other things that are taking place in their War Economy, where most of their money is being spent on fighting Ukraine, which 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!
Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act. In any event, I wish both Countries well. We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!
What insights can we draw from this?
Read More: Mired Down in War: Should Ukraine Surrender?
Watch: Russia Launches Enormous Air Attack on Ukraine
For one thing, this looks a lot like a call for Europe and NATO (of which, we must remember, the United States is a member) to keep supplying Ukraine with weapons, ammo, and logistical support.
But it's the possible end goals that are interesting. The president writes, "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." Does the president mean the borders as they were when Russia invaded in 2022? Or the borders as they were in 2014, before Russia seized Crimea? I'm inclined to think the former, as 1) I think if the Russians start having to give ground, the only place that they are going to dig in their heels will be Crimea, with its Black Sea ports, and 2) Ukraine's seizing back the Donbas and other currently Russian-held areas of Ukraine proper are a much more viable option that taking back Crimea.
I've said for a couple of years now that the best Ukraine can probably hope for is a return to the status quo ante 2022. President Trump's statement, while optimistic for Ukraine, does not disabuse me of that notion.
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