Trump changes rhetoric on Russia-Ukraine war - New York talks highlight of week

Key questions:

• What did Zelenskyy and Trump discuss in the US?
• Has Trump’s stance on Russia changed?
• How did Russia respond to Trump’s shift in rhetoric?

Trump believes in Ukraine

The main event of the week was the latest meeting between the Presidents of Ukraine and the US, which took place in New York. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump held their discussion on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 23.

After the meeting with Zelenskyy, the US President wrote on the social network Truth Social that Russia is a paper tiger, and that Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, can fully restore its territorial integrity and then go even further.

“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,” Trump emphasized.

According to his post, the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity is possible with time, patience, and financial support from Europe, including NATO.

Trump also promised that the US would continue supplying NATO weapons so that the Alliance could use them at its discretion (i.e., to provide them to Ukraine).

Later, Zelenskyy confirmed that Trump’s shift in rhetoric was linked to the information he received from the Ukrainian leader during their meeting. Moreover, according to the President of Ukraine, his American counterpart supported Kyiv’s right to retaliate against Russian strikes, including those targeting energy infrastructure.

Zelenskyy said that they had discussed several promising ideas to bring peace closer and that he hoped they would yield swift results.

Sanctions and the refusal of Russian oil

Earlier, Trump stated that before the US imposes new sanctions on Russia, all European Union countries, including Hungary and Slovakia, should stop purchasing energy resources from Russia. During the conversation, Zelenskyy suggested that Slovakia could potentially halt its purchases of Russian energy under certain conditions.

Zelenskyy told Trump that he had had a conversation with the Prime Minister of Slovakia, that he thought they needed some alternative solutions, and that then they might agree to the idea.

Trump, in turn, mentioned upcoming contacts with Hungary regarding this issue.

He said that he thought Orban would stop buying Russian oil if he talked to him and that he would speak with him.

However, Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, responded that his country does not intend to stop buying Russian oil, even if Trump makes such a request.

In addition, Trump addressed another major purchaser of Russian energy - Türkiye. During a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he urged Ankara to reduce its energy purchases from Russia. As a lever of influence, the US leader considered the possibility of once again allowing Türkiye to participate in the production of F-35 fighter jets.

Russia’s reaction

The Kremlin responded cautiously to Trump’s shift in rhetoric. At the same time, the number of Russian aircraft violations of NATO European members’ airspace sharply increased. Commenting on the comparison of Russia to a paper tiger, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the aggressor country is not a tiger and is rather associated with a bear, adding that there are no paper bears.

Peskov noted that the Kremlin does not agree with all of Trump’s statements made the previous day. According to him, the change in the US President’s tone is connected to his meeting with the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. During the meeting, the Russian minister was presented with a set of conditions.

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The Secretary reiterated President Trump’s call for the killing to stop and the need for Moscow to take meaningful steps toward a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war,” the State Department said.

What influenced Trump’s position

Western media offer differing assessments of the sharp shift in the US President’s rhetoric, as well as its underlying reasons. According to The Wall Street Journal, officials within the Trump administration who advocate for a stronger stance in support of Ukraine presented the President with an accurate picture of the battlefield situation in Ukraine. They highlighted, in particular, Russia’s minimal progress on the front. In addition, during the meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump received information about a new counteroffensive planned by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which would require American support.

The British edition of The Telegraph reported that after months of statements regarding Ukraine losing territory to Russia, as well as comments about peace negotiations, Trump made a stunning reversal. The outlet noted that in his latest remarks, Trump’s previous pledges of US support for Ukraine were absent. Moreover, the American leader is effectively shifting responsibility for Ukraine to Europe and NATO.

Reuters shares a similar view. Unnamed sources told the agency that Trump’s high-profile statement may signal that Europe should now take the lead in assisting Ukraine.

“He seems to be saying his goodbyes, no? But that can change tomorrow. In any case, the cards are clear for us. We know what we should be doing,” a Western European official told Reuters.

A senior Eastern European diplomat noted that Trump’s comments on Ukraine are aimed at signaling that he is beginning to distance himself, sending a message that this is Europe’s issue.

At the same time, the New York Post reports that Trump’s insistence that Ukraine can reclaim all occupied territories is a strategic move intended to try to draw Moscow into the negotiation process. White House sources emphasized that such statements do not indicate a change in Washington’s policy, but rather serve as a negotiating tactic to pressure Russia, which currently shows no interest in a ceasefire.

However, so far, Trump has only made statements. As before, he has not taken any concrete action to pressure Russia. Moreover, there is no guarantee that after another call with Putin, the US President will not once again reverse his rhetoric. At the same time, Trump’s confirmed removal of restrictions on US arms sales to Ukraine is a positive signal for the future.