Trump Shifts Stance, Says Ukraine Can Win Back All Territory

2 DAYS AGO·UPDATED 2 DAYS AGO

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Above: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump on Sept.23, 2025 in New York City. Image copyright: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-Trump narrative

Trump's reversal recognizes an immutable truth: rewarding aggression with territorial concessions only emboldens future predators. Ukraine can and must reclaim every stolen acre — surrendering sovereign land to Moscow would betray every Ukrainian who died defending it, signal to tyrants worldwide that violence pays, and guarantee Putin's return for more. Peace through appeasement is no peace at all.

Lowy Institute The New York Times

Anti-Trump narrative

Trump's whiplash reversal — from demanding Ukrainian territorial surrender to promising total restoration — exposes his trademark inconsistency. EU officials warn he's "always one Putin call away from doing something not great." Reality remains unchanged: Ukraine lacks the manpower or resources to achieve total victory. When Trump inevitably flips again, territorial concessions will become the bitter, unavoidable price of ending this stalemate.

Politico Sky News

Pro-Russia narrative

This sudden U-turn from the U.S. president is a betrayal of diplomacy that puts the prospect of a peaceful end to this conflict in the crosshairs. Russia only ever wished to defend its own borders and sovereignty, with Putin repeatedly restating his support for a ceasefire. With America set to support Kyiv in pursuit of an impossible end, more lives will be lost, while the inevitable reality that Ukraine must eventually surrender territory will only be delayed.

TASS RT