Nikolai Rybakov’s Telegram channel, 25.09.2025

Photo: Screenshot from broadcast of Donald Trump’s speech in the UN

In just one day, Donald Trump launched scathing criticism of “green” energy, migration policy and the UN. However, his most telling statements were about the Ukrainian conflict, which, among other things, contradict his own administration’s official position.

After his UN speech, Donald Trump published a lengthy post. Here come the key quotes:

“With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option. Why not? Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. This is not distinguishing Russia.”

“When people living in Moscow and all major cities, towns and districts across Russia learn what is really happening because of this war, because it’s almost impossible for them to get petrol due to long queues and other things happening because the economy is geared towards war with Ukraine.”

“Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years 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’. Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act. We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!”

On the same day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced completely different rhetoric at the UN Security Council session:

“Sustainable peace in Ukraine can be achieved through negotiations, not through military action.”

“Trump has shown considerable patience in maintaining the existing level of sanctions against Russia”;

“He has devoted much time and resources to finding a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine”;

“The United States will continue to work towards achieving a peaceful resolution of the situation.”

Just over a month after meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Donald Trump essentially calls for escalation from Ukraine (“this is the time for Ukraine to act”). At the same time, Marco Rubio, representing the official administration, speaks of diplomacy, negotiations and restraint.

Such statements by Donald Trump could be perceived in Kyiv as a signal for more active actions, and in Moscow as proof of the impossibility of dialogue with Washington, which negates all previous diplomatic efforts and unleashes a new stage of escalation.

Thus, the clash of two narratives in one day exposes a deep rift between Trump’s personal, improvisational position and the cautious line of the official US department. All this creates extremely dangerous uncertainty around further US steps in the Ukrainian crisis.

Trump’s public opinion changes endlessly. Today he is a peacemaker and Putin’s friend, and tomorrow he effectively declares the need to continue military action — until Ukraine returns to its 1991 borders.

Yesterday he stated that he was “not on anyone’s side and wants to stop people dying,” and today he doesn’t even remember this.

Furthermore, in response to a journalist’s question about whether Russian aircraft should be shot down when entering NATO airspace, Trump answered “Yes, I think so”.

Also it is indicative that he himself (the US), apparently, is not ready to get involved in continuing this conflict — neither morally nor financially. He is ready to leave this entire burden to Europe. With all the risks, all the problems, new migrants and other consequences.

In Trump’s opinion, a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine seemed simple — talk to Putin tête-à-tête, invite him to Alaska, sign a peace treaty, and receive the Nobel Prize. And everything would have been fine if this were a computer game with different scenarios, where people didn’t die every day because of someone’s political mistakes and indifference.

One can wait endlessly for a wizard to fly in and install peace. He won’t come. We must fight for peace.