At the UN General Assembly, Donald Trump made his most pro-Ukrainian statement yet, declaring that Kyiv could reclaim “every inch” of lost territory. The European Commission attributed this shift to the personal diplomacy of Ursula von der Leyen, whose contacts with Trump deepened after the summer summit in Scotland.
The European Commission credited Ursula von der Leyen’s diplomatic efforts with prompting Donald Trump’s marked turn toward supporting Ukraine. “The U.S. president’s engagement on this issue did not happen by chance,” said Commission spokesperson Olof Gill in Brussels. “It came about thanks to President von der Leyen.”
On Tuesday, September 23, at the UN General Assembly in New York, Trump surprised many officials by issuing his most pro-Ukrainian statement to date. He declared emphatically that Kyiv could not only win the war against Russia but also reclaim “every inch” of its lost territory.
Although European leaders have long sought to build a unified international front, officials in Brussels stressed that it was von der Leyen’s special relationship with Trump that proved decisive. “Yesterday we saw a meeting between Presidents von der Leyen and Trump that we view as exceptionally positive,” Gill emphasized. “It is important to underline that we welcome such strong and substantive engagement with the United States in coordinating efforts to end Russian aggression.”
Late Tuesday evening, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I believe that Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, can fight and WIN, reclaiming all of its territory within its original borders.”
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Relations between von der Leyen and Trump have grown markedly closer since the July summit in Scotland, where the two sides signed an uneven trade deal. As Brussels Playbook notes, the leaders have since been in regular phone contact, including discussions on a new package of sanctions against Russia that also touches on China—an area of particular interest to Trump.
Details of the New York talks have not yet been disclosed. “We outlined our priorities and concerns,” Gill told reporters when pressed for clarification. The EU’s position on Ukraine remains unchanged: an immediate end to the war, full respect for the country’s sovereignty, and a demand that Russia halt its aggression.