US President Donald Trump on Thursday suggested a possible shift in Washington’s approach to the Ukraine conflict, hinting that Kyiv may soon be allowed to “fight back” against Russia rather than remain confined to a defensive strategy.
“It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invader’s country,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account, comparing Ukraine’s situation to a sports team forced to play only defence. He accused his predecessor Joe Biden of being “grossly incompetent” for not letting Ukraine go on the offensive, adding, “Regardless, this is a war that would have NEVER happened if I were President – ZERO CHANCE. Interesting times ahead!!!”
Trump’s remarks come just days after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which failed to produce progress on a ceasefire. The talks were overshadowed by Russia’s largest drone and missile assault in over a month, which killed nine civilians in Ukraine, according to officials cited by CNN.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has continued to demand security guarantees before any ceasefire deal, while Trump has floated the idea of a trilateral meeting involving himself, Putin, and Zelenskyy to move negotiations forward.
The US President has also promised that Washington would help provide Ukraine with security guarantees, though he did not specify whether these would involve American forces. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later clarified that while “US boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine,” other forms of support—including potential air defence cooperation—remain under consideration.
“The president understands that security guarantees are crucial to ensuring a lasting peace,” Leavitt said, adding that Trump has directed his national security team to coordinate with European allies and draft a framework acceptable to both Ukraine and Russia.
