by Erich Rumson ’28 on October 2, 2025
National and Global News
Recent comments made by President Donald Trump following a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine at the U.N. signaled a stronger relationship between the two leaders, as Trump appears to have taken a more pro-Ukrainian stance. This shift takes place amidst stalled peace negotiations with Russia, which have not produced the cease-fire many Americans have been hoping for.
Following the Sept. 23 meeting at the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, which Zelensky called “a good conversation,” Trump commented on Truth Social that he was optimistic about Ukraine’s position in its war with Russia. In a surprising shift in rhetoric, the President said he believed Ukraine could reclaim all the territory it has lost and called Russia a “paper tiger” that has been “fighting aimlessly for three and a half years.” According to the Wall Street Journal, these comments reflect a major change from his previous stance, in which Trump expressed doubt that the war could end without Ukraine giving up territory.
Trump’s shift in attitude could reflect growing frustration with a lack of progress in peace talks with Russia. The president has long viewed ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2022, as one of his major foreign policy goals. During his first months in office, Trump largely avoided harsh criticisms of Russia to get its president, Vladimir Putin, to the negotiating table. Although a summit between Trump and Putin was held in Alaska last month, it failed to produce an agreement, and Russia has shown no signs of stopping its attacks on Ukraine since. As a result, Trump has adopted a tougher stance towards Russia, becoming increasingly critical of Putin’s refusal to end the war.
Among the topics discussed at the meeting was Ukraine’s use of American long-range missiles. Although the U.S. has restricted Ukraine from using American missiles in strikes within Russia’s borders, Trump said during the meeting that he was now open to lifting those restrictions. Trump has also said he is open to supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles and other accurate long-range weapons, which the Wall Street Journal said “would be a major escalation in U.S. assistance.” In addition, Trump further reiterated his support for NATO and has vowed to continue to supply them with American weapons.
One notable development during recent events has been the much-improved relationship between Trump and Zelensky, which had previously been notoriously rocky. The two have been very critical of each other in the past, with the President having accused Zelensky of disrespecting his American allies, while Zelensky had claimed Trump was too close to Putin. Tensions between the two came to a head during a now-infamous Feb. 28 meeting at the White House, in which both leaders got into a heated argument during a live Oval Office press conference. The two have since appeared to have patched things up, as they have held several productive meetings, including an impromptu summit at the Vatican during Pope Francis’ funeral last April. At the U.N. meeting last week, Trump praised the Ukrainian war effort, saying they were doing “a very good job” of fighting the Russians. Zelensky, in turn, has since praised Trump’s support in trying to end the war, calling him a “game changer.” This week, Ukrainian officials are expected to meet with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington to discuss potential changes in aid policy.