Overview

• After meeting Volodymyr Zelensky in New York, President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that Ukraine could “regain its territory in its original form and perhaps even go further.”
• Trump characterized Russia as a “paper tiger” and argued Moscow has waged a directionless war that a true military power would have won in a week.
• He also said NATO members should shoot down Russian aircraft that violate Alliance airspace, responding “Yes, I think so” when asked by a reporter.
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov rejected Trump’s assessment, asserted Russia’s economic stability, and said there is “no other alternative” than to continue the military operation, quipping that “bears of paper don’t exist.”
• European officials and many Ukrainians welcomed the sharper tone yet voiced skepticism given prior reversals, noting Trump offered no specifics on sanctions, military aid, or mediation as the Kremlin labeled recent U.S.–Russia rapprochement results “close to zero.”