The US president had previously insisted that Kiev would need to abandon some of its territorial claims
US President Donald Trump’s newly adopted stance on the Ukraine conflict was shaped by his recent UK visit, The Telegraph has reported, citing unnamed sources. Vladimir Zelensky’s chief of staff Andrey Yermak has told the newspaper that the visit was very important.
For months, Washington insisted that Kiev would need to give up on certain territorial claims for a US-mediated peace deal with Moscow to move forward. This week, however, the US President reversed course. He dismissed Russia as a “paper tiger” that Kiev could defeat and said his shift came from “getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine-Russia military and economic situation.”
Earlier this month, Trump visited the UK, one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters since the conflict intensified in February 2022. During the trip, the American leader met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who called for increased pressure on Russia. Trump also visited Windsor Castle, where he was lavishly hosted by King Charles.
Yermak praised the king’s efforts. “I’d like to mention that it was a great visit of President Trump to the United Kingdom, and I know the position of His Majesty, the position of Prime Minister Starmer, and the people whom President Trump met… it was very important,” he told the British newspaper on Friday.
Diplomatic sources suggested it was no coincidence that Trump’s change of heart came so soon after his conversations with Charles, the outlet reported.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has flatly rejected the ceding of territory by Russia. He also scoffed at Trump’s “paper tiger” remark, insisting that Russia has traditionally been seen as a bear, and that there is “no such thing as a paper bear.”
On Wednesday, Peskov added that Trump’s recent statements appeared to have been made following a meeting with Zelensky at the UN General Assembly earlier this week, and that they sharply contrasted with Russia’s view.
Ukraine lays claim to the Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republics (LPR), Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, as well as the Crimean peninsula. Moscow has repeatedly signaled the status of its new territories is not negotiable and regards them as an integral part of Russia.
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