Donald Trump’s recent shift in stance on the Ukraine conflict occurred before a threat from a Russian figure aligned with Vladimir Putin, who suggested targeting a European nation with nuclear bombs.
Tensions within the Russia-Ukraine conflict have escalated, and with Donald Trump revising his opinion on Ukraine, the situation appears more critical.
In a surprising statement on Truth Social, the former president asserted that Kyiv is capable of reclaiming “all of Ukraine back in its original form” with the assistance of Europe and NATO.
In his post, Trump mentioned that Ukraine could regain “the original borders from where this war started” through collaboration with European nations and NATO allies.
This apparent shift in Trump’s position followed his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York on September 23, after the UN General Assembly.
Trump attributed his change in perspective to gaining a comprehensive understanding of the Ukraine/Russia military and economic dynamics.
He remarked, “Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act.”
Prior to his engagement with Zelenskyy at the UN, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump held discussions with US officials who advised him to adopt a firmer stance on Vladimir Putin’s military actions.
Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg and new UN ambassador Mike Waltz were reportedly present at the meeting.
The Journal also noted that intelligence officials updated them on the conflict, indicating that Russia’s advancements have been minimal in recent times.
JD Vance, the vice president, stated in North Carolina on September 24 that Trump believes “[the Russians] are not providing enough incentive to conclude the war.”
Despite Trump’s apparent alignment with Zelenskyy, he maintains restrictions on US weaponry from targeting deep inside Russian territory, according to the Independent.
This position marks a significant departure from his earlier views in February at the Oval Office, where he informed Zelenskyy that victory against Russia was unlikely, saying, “You don’t have the cards right now.”
At that time, he warned the Ukrainian leader that his “country is in big trouble… you’re not winning this.”
Trump’s change of heart coincided with news reports that a prominent Russian propagandist advocated for the Kremlin to consider nuclear strikes on the UK during a state-run TV broadcast, alarming many.
Vladimir Solovyov, an ally of Putin, discussed with Sergei Karaganov the potential of winning a nuclear conflict, suggesting that tactical atomic weapons might deter US involvement.
Solovyov stated that Europe should recognize Russia’s willingness to deploy its arsenal, and that targeting Oxford and Cambridge with nuclear bombs would send a powerful message globally.
Karaganov has a history of expressing aggressive sentiments toward the UK, once claiming it should be “nuked off the map.”
Upon learning of Trump’s revised stance, the Kremlin issued a prompt response.
In defense of Ukraine, Trump wrote, “With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this war started, is very much an option.”
He added, “Why not? Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years, a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger’.”
Responding to the “paper tiger” remark, Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, commented, “[Russia] is not a tiger but a bear. Russia is associated with a bear; there are no paper bears.”
The media had previously reached out to Downing Street for a statement regarding the threat to the UK.