Trump says Ukraine can gain back all territory seized by Russia with Nato's help

US President says Moscow has been 'aimlessly' fighting the war, making it look like a 'a paper tiger'

US President Donald Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. AFP

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US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Ukraine can reclaim all territory seized by Russia, in a turnaround on his position on the conflict.

In a long post on Truth Social, Mr Trump who is in New York attending the UN General Assembly, said Russia has been "aimlessly" fighting the war, making it look like a “a paper tiger".

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“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," he wrote. "With time, patience and the financial support of Europe and, in particular Nato, the original borders from where this war started is very much an option.”

The shift came after Mr Trump held a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UNGA.

The two leaders have had strained relations in the past. Mr Trump attacked the Ukrainian leader in the White House when he visited this year, accusing him of being disrespectful and ungrateful to the US.

Mr Trump previously said that Ukraine would have to give up territory to reach a ceasefire with Russia.

Donald Trump berates Ukrainian President at White House

01:16

Mr Trump, who took office in January, had campaigned on a promise to swiftly end the war in Ukraine, and stop US military funding.

“We have great respect for the fight that Ukraine is putting up,” he told Mr Zelenskyy during the meeting on Tuesday.

The Ukrainian leader replied that he had “good news” from the battlefield.

“We will speak of how to finish the war and security guarantees,” Mr Zelenskyy said, adding that he was grateful for the US President's “personal efforts to stop this war”.

During the meeting, Mr Trump also said Nato should shoot down any Russian aircraft entering the alliance’s airspace.

“Yes, I do,” he said, when asked if he thought Nato members should take such action.

The US could support any Nato member, depending on the circumstances, he added.

“You know, we’re very strong towards Nato. Nato stepped up,” Mr Trump said.

The change in tone comes after Russian drones and fighter planes repeatedly breached Nato airspace in Eastern Europe and the Baltic, including Estonia and Poland.

Earlier on Tuesday, during his speech to the General Assembly, Mr Trump said he had been working relentlessly to stop the war in Ukraine.

"Of the seven wars that I stopped I thought that would be the easiest because of my relationship with President [Vladimir] Putin, which had always been a good one," he said.

"But you know, in war, you never know what's going to happen, there are always lots of surprises, both good and bad."

Last week, during a trip to the UK, Mr Trump said Mr Putin “really let me down”, although he added that he did not regret inviting him for a summit in Alaska, which ended without a deal in August.

He repeated his refusal to increase sanctions on Russia after being shocked to hear European countries were still buying Russian oil.

Mr Trump said that if the price of oil comes down, Mr Putin would "drop out of that war".