Trump support for Ukraine retaking land from Russia rejected by Kremlin
KYIV, Ukraine — You’d forgive Ukrainians double-checking their Truth Social feeds.
There was a mix of astonishment and reservation in Kyiv on Wednesday — contrasted with bitter dismissal and some mocking defiance in Moscow — after President Donald Trump said Ukraine could reclaim all of its territory, a dramatic change in rhetoric on the war.
The Kremlin rejected Trump’s description of Russia as a “paper tiger,” saying its military was advancing and its economy stable rather than suffering “big” problems. But in Ukraine the sudden reversal was greeted cautiously as a welcome shift from the U.S. leader that still left much to be answered.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly insisted that giving up territory to Russia in a peace deal was not an option, and hailed the “big shift” in Trump’s position after meeting with him in New York.
Trump had long maintained that an end to the war would require Ukraine ceding territory, but months of failed diplomacy have seemingly fueled frustrations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
“I was almost amazed to hear it from him, it was powerful,” said Maryna Lozova, 32. “But there is one huge “but” — we should definitely remember how often he changes his mind, and how crazy some of his ideas are,” the housewife in Kyiv told NBC News.
Others were similarly reluctant to celebrate given what they saw as a number of recent U-turns on the subject, as Trump first welcomed Putin to Alaska then met with Zelenskyy and European leaders, each time leaving his guests feeling positive about their efforts.
“I would like to believe in deeds, not words,” said Volodymyr Rzhavskyy, a 44-year-old entrepreneur from the frontline Donetsk region. He called on Trump to “provide Ukraine with maximum opportunity to regain its territorial integrity.”
“I think that if we really are provided with enough weapons and the support we need, then we have the opportunity to return our land,” he said.
Lozova pointed to Trump’s comment in his lengthy Truth Social post that it was with help from Europe and NATO, not the U.S., that Ukraine might retake its land. “That raises some questions,” she said.
“I completely agree, or rather I know for sure, that Ukraine can return the territories,” she said, thankful that “finally, someone recognizes this and does not question it.”
But she was worried about “how long our guys will be able to fight” without new support from Washington.
For once there was a similar message from some prominent voices in Russia.
“Yes, Trump suddenly told the world about his love for Ukraine,” said Konstantin Malofeyev, an ultra-nationalist tycoon and political influencer.
“But the main point… is that the U.S. is washing its hands of the matter,” he said.
The Kremlin was eager to push back on Trump’s argument, which it said defied the the reality on the battlefield, where Russia has continued to make slow and costly gains.
“The dynamics on the front line, for anyone — even a low-qualified specialist, clearly demonstrate the real state of affairs,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
Russia, he said in an interview with the RBC radio station, was not a tiger but “more often associated with a bear. And paper bears don’t exist.”
Russia currently controls roughly 19% of Ukraine following its full-scale invasion of the country in 2022, according to open source maps of the battlefield cited by Reuters.
It has been grinding forward in recent months, and Peskov claimed its advance may be slow in a deliberate bid to minimize casualties.
“Of course, President Trump heard Zelenskyy’s version of events. And apparently at this point, this version is the reason for the assessment we heard,” Peskov said.
Zelenskyy told the United Nations General Assembly earlier on Tuesday that Putin was “trying everything” to prolong the war, having rebuffed Trump’s peace efforts in the wake of their summit.
Moscow will be able to make its case later Wednesday, when Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meets with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
And there was confidence in Russia that another Trump reversal may be on the cards.
“He’ll be back,” said former President Dmitry Medvedev, who accused Trump of having slipped “into an alternate reality” with his Ukraine-friendly comments. “He always comes back.”
Daryna Mayer reported from Kyiv, and Freddie Clayton from London.
