Trump Backs Ukraine Retaking Territory, No New US Arms

After meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the U.N. General Assembly, President Donald Trump said Ukraine, with backing from the European Union and NATO, is in a position to retake all territory seized by Russia, calling Moscow a “paper tiger,” citing Russia’s economic troubles as an opportunity and marking a notable reversal from his earlier calls for Kyiv to cede territory. He urged time, patience and financial support from Europe and NATO, proposed strong tariffs on Russian energy to hasten an end to the fighting, and urged NATO to shoot down Russian drones or aircraft that enter alliance airspace. Trump pledged that the U.S. will continue supplying weapons to NATO but did not announce new direct U.S. arms sales to Kyiv or fresh sanctions on Moscow. Zelenskyy welcomed the talks as a diplomatic boost and said they would discuss how to finish the war and secure guarantees. Separately at the U.N., Trump attacked global climate policies as a “con job,” promoted fossil fuels and criticized green energy initiatives.