Trump Suggests Ukraine Can Win Back Territory Long Held by Russia in Major Shift
In a significant change of stance, President Trump on Tuesday suggested that Ukraine is capable of winning back the territory seized by Russia, including Crimea, which has been under Russian control since 2014. This reversal comes after years of advocating for Kyiv to give up some of its territory to Moscow to end the war.
According to sources close to the matter, Trump made this statement on social media while meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on September 23, 2025. This shift in position has been met with both praise and skepticism from experts and world leaders.
The change in stance is a departure from Trump's long-held view that Ukraine would need to compromise on its territorial claims to achieve peace with Russia. In the past, he had suggested that Kyiv should give up Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, as part of any potential deal to end the conflict.
According to NPR Politics, this shift in position is a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. "This is a major reversal for President Trump," said Franco Ordoñez, a reporter with NPR Politics. "He has long advocated for Ukraine to give up some of its territory to Moscow to end the war, but now he seems to be suggesting that Ukraine can win back all of the territory it lost."
The implications of this shift in position are far-reaching and have sparked debate among experts and world leaders. Some see it as a sign that Trump is willing to take a tougher stance against Russia, while others view it as a potential concession to Moscow.
"It's unclear what exactly President Trump means by 'winning back' the territory," said Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "But if he's suggesting that Ukraine can retake Crimea and other territories without compromise, that would be a significant shift in U.S. policy."
The current status of the conflict remains fluid, with both sides engaged in ongoing fighting. The Ukrainian government has long maintained that it will not negotiate away its territorial claims, while Russia has insisted on maintaining control over Crimea.
As the situation continues to unfold, world leaders are closely watching Trump's words and actions for any indication of a shift in U.S. policy towards Ukraine and Russia. With this major development, one thing is clear: the conflict between Ukraine and Russia has just taken a significant turn.
Background
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia began in 2014, when pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted from power. Since then, fighting has continued on and off, with both sides trading territory and accusations.
In recent years, Trump has been a vocal advocate for Ukraine to give up some of its territory to Moscow as part of any potential deal to end the war. However, his latest statement suggests that he may be willing to take a tougher stance against Russia.
Expert Opinions
Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said: "It's unclear what exactly President Trump means by 'winning back' the territory... But if he's suggesting that Ukraine can retake Crimea and other territories without compromise, that would be a significant shift in U.S. policy."
Franco Ordoñez, reporter with NPR Politics, added: "This is a major reversal for President Trump... He has long advocated for Ukraine to give up some of its territory to Moscow to end the war, but now he seems to be suggesting that Ukraine can win back all of the territory it lost."
This story was compiled from reports by NPR Politics and NPR News.
