Trump believes Ukraine will be back to its "original form" with EU, NATO support after meeting with Zelenskyy

New York [US], September 24 (ANI): US President Donald Trump expressed strong optimism about Ukraine reclaiming its pre-war borders from Russia with robust support from the European Union and NATO, following his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

In a detailed post on Truth Social on Tuesday (local time), Trump described Russia as a "paper tiger" claiming to be bogged down by economic woes after three and a half years of conflict, urging Ukraine to seize the moment to "fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form."

"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, emphasising the potential for restoring "the original Borders from where this War started."

He attributed Russia's prolonged struggle to its inefficiencies, calling the prolonged conflict a strategic failure.

"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'," the post read.

Trump highlighted the mounting economic pressures on Russia, including gasoline shortages and a war economy draining resources.

"When the people living in Moscow, and all of the Great Cities, Towns, and Districts all throughout Russia, find out what is really going on with this War... Ukraine would be able to take back their Country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that! Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act," he added, praising Ukraine's "Great Spirit" and resilience.

The US President affirmed continued American support through weapons supplies to NATO, noting, "We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them."

The remarks come shortly after Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UNGA.

According to Al Jazeera, Russia currently occupies roughly one-fifth of Ukraine's territory, around 114,500 square kilometres.

The active combat front extends approximately 1,000 kilometres through the regions of Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson. Within Zaporizhia and Kherson, Russia controls about 75 per cent of the territory.

In addition, Russian forces hold small portions of the Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. In the Sumy and Kharkiv areas, about 400 square kilometres remain under Russian control, while in Dnipropetrovsk, a small section near the border is occupied, Al Jazeera reported.

In the Donbas region, composed of Luhansk and Donetsk, Russia controls around 46,570 square kilometres or approximately 88 per cent. This includes nearly all of Luhansk and about three-quarters of Donetsk.

Ukraine still retains control over around 6,600 square kilometres of Donbas. However, Russian forces have intensified operations in Donetsk, targeting the last major Ukrainian-held cities as part of their push to secure what is often referred to as the "fortress belt". (ANI)

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