US President Donald Trump, completely changing his approach to the conflict in Ukraine, said last night that Kiev could "return its territory to its original form and maybe even go further" towards Russia, reported Agence France-Presse, writes BTA.
In another loud statement, he pointed out that NATO countries should shoot down Russian planes that enter their airspace.
"For three and a half years, Russia has been waging a war without a clear direction, which a real military power could win in less than a week", the American president wrote on his social network "Truth Social", expressing the opinion that Vladimir Putin's Russia "is very similar to a "book tiger".
At the beginning of the year, Donald Trump categorically stated to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that "he does not hold the cards in his hands" in this conflict, which began in February 2022 with the Russian invasion, and subsequently called on him to proceed with a "territorial exchange", recalls AFP.
After his meeting last night with the Ukrainian head of state in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the Republican president already believes that with "time, patience and the financial support of Europe and especially NATO, it is entirely possible for (Ukraine) to return to the borders from which this conflict began".
Zelensky described his talks with his American counterpart Trump in New York as "very good and constructive". "The conversation was really very good", Zelensky noted. According to him, the leaders discussed Ukraine's counteroffensive in the Donetsk region, as well as the state of the Russian economy.
Zelensky indicated that he would not disclose all the details of the conversation with Trump, but noted that it was "very constructive". The Ukrainian president said that there was a common understanding that Trump was ready to provide security guarantees to Ukraine after the end of the war, and added that the American leader could "cardinal change things" for Kiev, Reuters reports.
"We all understand that President Trump is ready to provide Ukraine with security guarantees after this war is over," Zelensky said. "I am grateful for this meeting and we expect America's actions to push Russia towards peace. Moscow is afraid of America and always pays attention to it," the Ukrainian leader added.
"I think President Trump can also change Xi Jinping's attitude to this war, because we don't think China wants to end this war," Zelensky said on the "Special Report" program on "Fox News" after his meeting with Trump. The head of European diplomacy, Kaia Kallas, said she welcomed the change in US President Trump's position on the war in Ukraine, DPA reports.
Asked about the European Union's reaction to Trump's comments on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Kallas said: "We are very positive about this, because these are all the right things." "Yes, we should stop buying Russian energy. "Yes, Ukraine must win the war and all the other statements that (Trump) made today regarding Ukraine and Russia are correct," said Kalas.
French President Emmanuel Macron today welcomed the change in US President Donald Trump's attitude towards Moscow regarding the war in Ukraine. "I am glad to hear that the American president believes in Ukraine's ability not only to resist but also to assert and guarantee its rights," Macron told the UN General Assembly in New York.
"I welcome the statements made by the American president a few hours ago, in which he pointed to the progressive weakening of the Russian economy and the failures on the ground of Russia, which, imagine, in more than 1,000 days has occupied only 1% of Ukrainian territory, despite so many losses and so many civilian casualties."
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK was "ready to act" after Donald Trump called on NATO countries to shoot down Russian planes violating airspace. Cooper criticized Moscow for "provocative and reckless" violations of NATO airspace in recent weeks during a speech to the UN. The comments come after Trump said Ukraine could regain all the territory it lost to Russia - a dramatic change from his previous call for Kiev to make concessions, DPA notes.
"Ukraine's security is our security and we all depend on compliance with the UN Charter," Cooper told the UN Security Council today. Russia's actions aim to undermine democracy, provoke conflict and spread instability far beyond Europe's borders, the minister added.
"In recent weeks, we have witnessed provocative and reckless violations of NATO airspace in Estonia, Poland and Romania, against which the alliance takes a firm position, and we are ready to act," Cooper said.
NATO, in turn, said it would respond to Russian air violations with "military and non-military means," DPA reports. In a statement, the alliance condemned the incursion of three Russian MiG-31 jets into Estonian airspace on Friday, describing it as "part of a broader trend of increasingly irresponsible behavior by Russia". "Russia should be in no doubt: NATO and allies will use, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military means to defend themselves and deter all threats from all directions," the alliance warned.