Trump's Attitude Towards Ukraine Shifts Dramatically; Analysis Suggests Only a Change in Rhetoric, Not Policy

According to a report by Jinse Finance, an analysis by The Wall Street Journal stated that Trump praised the performance of the Ukrainian military at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday and mocked Russia's military efforts. However, half a year ago, he told Zelensky that "you do not have the advantage" in the war against Russia. U.S. officials said that Trump's move was partly intended to pressure Putin into reaching an agreement, as there has been little substantive progress toward a ceasefire since last month's "Putin-Trump meeting" in Alaska. Sources familiar with the matter said that Trump has recently been spending time with U.S. officials who have long advocated for a tougher stance on Ukraine, and they pointed out that Russia has made little progress in recent years. Trump was also informed that a planned Ukrainian offensive would require U.S. intelligence support. Officials said that Trump has only changed his rhetoric for now, not his policy. He is still approving arms sales to Ukraine but restricts Ukraine from using U.S.-made weapons to attack Russian territory. It is still unclear whether Trump's change in tone will translate into a policy shift.