US President Donald Trump answered “yes” when asked on Tuesday whether NATO states should shoot down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace. At the same time, he claims in a new post that Ukraine can reclaim all lost territory – and potentially expand beyond its original borders.
— Yes, I do, Trump said at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, when asked whether the military alliance should shoot down Russian aircraft that violate member countries’ airspace.
In a longer post on his own platform Truth Social, Trump goes on the offensive against Russia and describes the country as a “paper tiger” in deep economic crisis.
“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”, the president writes.
Trump further claims that Russia has fought “aimlessly for three and a half years” in 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”, Trump continues in the post.
“Time for Ukraine to act”
Trump goes so far as to suggest that Ukraine can not only reclaim all occupied areas – but potentially also conquer Russian territory.
“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, the fact that it’s almost impossible for them to get Gasoline through the long lines that are being formed, and all of the other things that are taking place in their War Economy, where most of their money is being spent on fighting Ukraine, which has Great Spirit, and only getting better, Ukraine would be able to take back their Country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that!”
He describes how the original borders from where the war started are “very much an option” with time, patience and economic support from Europe and NATO.
“Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act”.
Russia: Fabricated provocations
Trump’s statements about shooting down Russian aircraft come after Estonia last week claimed that three Russian MIG-31 aircraft violated the country’s airspace. Moscow has denied the allegations and says the aircraft did not deviate from their routine flight path, and argues that NATO lacks evidence that any actual violation occurred.
Tallinn, Estonia demanded urgent consultations with alliance members under NATO’s Article 4, which led to Tuesday’s crisis meeting in Brussels, Belgium.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte explained that the alliance decides on a case-by-case basis whether to shoot down aircraft that violate airspace, depending on the threat level. In the alleged Estonian incident, “NATO forces promptly intercepted and escorted the aircraft without escalation as no immediate threat was assessed”, he said after the meeting.
Earlier this month, Poland accused Russia of sending at least 19 drones into Polish airspace – a claim Moscow dismissed as groundless. The only damage from the incident was reportedly caused by a missile fired from a Polish F-16 aircraft, which hit a residential building, reported the news website Rzeczpospolita.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called the incident in Poland a fabricated provocation intended to “undermine a political settlement of the Ukraine conflict” and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the allegations “have never been supported by any reliable data or convincing arguments”.
“Will continue to deliver weapons”
In his Truth Social post, Trump concludes by promising more American weapons to the military alliance’s member countries:
“We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!”
The statements mark a significantly more hostile line toward Russia than previously. During his campaign, he repeatedly promised to end the war within 24 hours and criticized the Biden administration’s extensive support for Ukraine.
Trump has also previously argued that Volodymyr Zelensky bears significant responsibility for a war that cannot be won, called him a “dictator” and described him as “the world’s greatest salesman” who goes home from every US visit with 100 billion dollars.
