Trump 'Big Shift'…"Russia a paper tiger…supports Ukraine's territorial recovery"

Trump and Zelensky hold a summit at the UN General Assembly in New York

Called a military power but a one-week war

Putin has dragged it out for three and a half years without purpose

NATO should shoot down Russian aircraft if they violate airspace

Continue supplying weapons until they get what they want

Russia is facing a serious economic crisis

Now is Ukraine's chance to recover territory

U.S. President Donald Trump has reversed his stance on the Ukraine war by 180 degrees. Whereas he previously said Ukraine should accept Russia's demands for a ceasefire, he suddenly said Ukraine can fully recover its lost territory. U.S. media such as CNN described it as a "big shift." He expressed disappointment with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and it was interpreted as a move to draw European support for Ukraine.

◇ "Russia is like a paper tiger"

On the 23rd (local time), President Trump wrote on social media, "If one becomes fully aware of the military and economic situations of Ukraine and Russia, and has witnessed the economic damage it (the war) has inflicted on Russia, I think Ukraine can win and is in a position to regain its territory." This was after a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN's 80th anniversary special session held in New York.

On social media, President Trump mentioned NATO's support as a precondition for victory. He said, "With Europe's economic support, especially NATO's support, restoring the original borders (of Ukraine) from when the war started becomes a sufficiently possible option."

He also taunted Russia, saying, "If Russia were a real military power, the war that would have taken less than a week to win would not have been fought purposelessly for three and a half years," adding, "This makes them look very much like a 'paper tiger.'"

Furthermore, he promised to continue supplying NATO with weapons for such a victory. He also said that if Russian aircraft violate NATO members' airspace, they should be shot down. When he met President Zelensky, he praised him as a "brave man." This is a completely different approach from the past few months when he had pressured President Zelensky to accept some of Russia's demands, saying Ukraine was in a disadvantaged position.

Europe, including Ukraine, welcomed it. President Zelensky told reporters, "President Trump is a game changer," and said he was "a little surprised" by the shift. He also evaluated it as a "positive sign that the United States will support Ukraine until the end of the war." Kaja Kallas, European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, also said, "All the remarks President Trump made today are correct."

◇ Means of pressure on Putin

President Trump's shift in stance appears to express displeasure with President Vladimir Putin. Last month, President Trump hosted President Putin in Alaska with lavish hospitality and hoped for a Ukraine-Russia summit and a three-way meeting including himself. He even told Emmanuel Macron that "Putin agreed to do this for me."

But in reality, the prevailing assessment is that he was 'played by Putin.' President Putin did not accept the idea of a post-ceasefire peace negotiation and subsequently attacked Ukraine far more fiercely than before for a month. For President Trump, who had hoped for a peace through the ceding of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine after a ceasefire, this must have been frustrating.

Although President Trump mentioned the possibility of regaining the original borders, it is uncertain whether the course of the Ukraine war can turn so easily. Much of the eastern region, amounting to 20% of Ukraine's territory, is under the control of Russian forces. To reverse this would require a massive amount of weapons and manpower capable of striking the Russian mainland.

There are also many skeptical views. After President Trump posted on social media, Marco Rubio said the Ukraine war "cannot end militarily and will ultimately end at the negotiating table." This reiterated President Trump's previous position on a ceasefire. An EU official told Politico, "With one phone call from President Putin, he could take a different action."

Washington = Correspondent Lee Sang-eun selee@hankyung.com