**Trump Says Ukraine, Backed by EU, Can Fight and Win Against Russia; Zelenska Urges Action on Return of Children Taken to Russia**
On Tuesday, former US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a strong position to fight and win the ongoing war against Russia.
“After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia military and economic situation, and after seeing the economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social.
The statement came shortly after Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Previously, Trump had suggested that Ukraine might need to cede some territory to secure a peace deal with Russia. However, he has expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reluctance to engage in peace talks, as reported by CNN.
Trump criticized Russia’s prolonged military campaign, stating, “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.”
He highlighted the economic hardships faced by ordinary Russians, noting the difficulty in obtaining gasoline due to long lines and the strain on Russia’s war economy. “Most of their money is being spent on fighting Ukraine, which has great spirit and is only getting better,” he said.
Trump added that Ukraine could potentially reclaim its entire territory and “maybe even go further than that,” emphasizing that “Putin and Russia are in BIG economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act.”
He also pledged to continue supplying weapons to NATO, stating that NATO member states could “do what they want with them.”
Following the meeting, President Zelenskyy described the talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly as “very good.” Speaking to Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne, he said, “Today’s meeting was very good. It’s too early to talk about any specific elements of the meeting, a little later.”
At the UN event, Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska made a heartfelt appeal to the international community to intensify efforts to bring home Ukrainian children who have been taken to Russia since Moscow launched its unprovoked full-scale invasion in 2022.
Zelenska warned that, at the current pace, it would take 50 years for all the Ukrainian children taken to Russia to return home. She also shared that, through the collaboration of an international coalition of 41 countries and the Council of Europe, 1,625 children have been successfully returned to Ukraine so far, according to CNN.
Earlier in the day, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen revealed that she discussed Russia’s “regular incursions” into European airspace with President Biden.
“We discussed Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” von der Leyen said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “We also addressed the Kremlin’s provocations, including regular incursions into European airspace. These incursions are clear attempts to test our response.”
She emphasized that Europe is accelerating its defense efforts to strengthen its eastern flank, stating, “It must act as a shield for both Europe and NATO.”
https://www.news18.com/world/ukraine-in-position-to-fight-and-win-war-against-russia-trump-ws-l-9592548.html
