Trump receives information on Ukraine’s new 'planned counteroffensive' – WSJ

The outlet recalled that on September 23, Trump highly praised the actions of the Ukrainian army on the frontlines and dismissively commented on Russia’s military efforts. This sharp shift in the US president’s stance came amid Russia’s inability to achieve battlefield success.

The Russian economy is slowing, and Russian forces are suffering heavy losses. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his allies managed to gain Trump’s support by coordinating their efforts.

At the same time, American officials advocating a more decisive stance on supporting Ukraine briefed Trump on the real situation on the ground in Ukraine, emphasizing Russia’s limited progress on the frontlines.

In addition, Trump was informed about a planned counteroffensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It will require US support, but only in the intelligence sphere. This is important because, according to US officials, Trump has changed his rhetoric but not his policy.

Trump allows arms sales to Ukraine, but he has restricted the use of American weapons for strikes on so-called "sovereign territory" of Russia — that is, regions that were part of the Russian Federation before February 2022.

Trump’s Speech at the UN

On September 23, President Trump spoke at the UN General Assembly in New York, suggesting that Ukraine could fully restore its territorial integrity — with Europe’s support.

According to the US president, Russia has proven to be a "paper tiger," as it has achieved no significant success on the frontlines. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army has turned out to be far stronger than previously thought.

In response, Zelenskyy stated that the US president would support Ukraine to the end. However, some media outlets interpret Trump’s remarks differently, suggesting that they indicate the US president may want to distance himself from the war in Ukraine.