Overview

• After meeting Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN, Donald Trump said EU backing could let Ukraine regain all of its original territory and possibly go further, while warning the war will last a long time.
• Bloomberg and the Financial Times reported that European and Ukrainian officials privately interpreted Trump’s rhetoric as shifting the burden to Europe and potentially setting up blame if Kyiv falters.
• The White House told the New York Post that Trump’s statements should not be read as a policy reversal and characterized them as negotiation tactics.
• Zelensky told the UN Security Council that China could force Moscow to stop its invasion, and he cited recent gains of 360 square kilometers and the encirclement of about 1,000 Russian troops.
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said U.S. messaging does not contradict a stated desire for a settlement, and Zelensky told Axios he would be ready to step down after the conflict and could trigger election preparations if a ceasefire occurs.