International Press Review dated 22 September - 3 October 2025
- Anton Kuchuhidze
- Oct 2
- 5 min read
In recent weeks, Western media attention has focused on Donald Trump's shift in rhetoric regarding the war in Ukraine. Trump now claims that Ukraine has a strong chance of regaining its occupied territories. At the same time, experts emphasize that Ukraine has become Europe’s most reliable partner and possesses a powerful defense industry capable of contributing to the continent’s overall security. In this context, Western allies are being encouraged to view Ukraine as an equal player in the defense sector.
According to The Washington Post, Trump has recently altered his stance on russia, expressing stronger support for Ukraine and NATO during a speech at the UN General Assembly. Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump reportedly stated that with support from the European Union and NATO, Ukraine could potentially reclaim all of its occupied regions.
Trump also expressed support for European nations' right to defend NATO airspace, including taking down russian aircraft in the event of violations. He warned that continued russian incursions could risk expanding the war beyond Ukraine’s borders.
In addition, according to The Wall Street Journal, during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Donald Trump expressed his readiness to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of U.S.-supplied long-range weapons to strike targets within russian territory. This apparent shift in position was reportedly driven by a deeper understanding of the situation on the front lines and increasing trust in the Ukrainian leadership.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed Trump’s remarks, stating that the American leader is aligning more closely with Ukraine’s strategic perspective.
In another Wall Street Journal article, the author argues that decisions regarding the use of advanced weaponry including range limitations and target selection should rest with President Zelenskyy and his military command, rather than with bureaucrats in Brussels or Washington. The article contends that russian territory should not serve as a safe haven for critical military assets. It concludes that if the West seeks a decisive outcome, it must equip Ukraine with the tools necessary to effectively deter and isolate russian forces.
A Bloomberg article titled “Ukraine Has Become Europe’s Most Reliable Partner” highlights that Ukraine possesses a powerful, efficient, and cost-effective defence industry, a capability many EU countries currently lack. In addition to its technical potential, Ukraine also demonstrates the will to fight, something often missing in European nations that have long prioritized diplomacy over military readiness.
The publication also criticizes NATO’s insufficient preparedness to counter modern threats, such as recent drone incursions into the airspace of Poland, Romania, and Denmark. This, according to the article, underscores the urgent need to reassess the Alliance’s strategic framework.
One of the key takeaways from these recent reports is that Ukraine should no longer be seen merely as a recipient of Western aid. Instead, it must be recognized as an equal partner in European security and defence, particularly in the area of drone warfare. With continuous feedback from the front lines, Ukrainian manufacturers are rapidly iterating and improving their drone technologies. In contrast, systems developed without Ukrainian involvement risk becoming outdated before they are even deployed. The foundation for such cooperation is already being established. The United Kingdom, Denmark, and several other countries have initiated joint programmes with Ukrainian defence firms to advance next-generation military technologies.
Restrictions on weapons employment, range and targets should be choices made by Mr. Zelensky and his military leaders, not risk-averse bureaucrats in Brussels or Washington. Boundaries should be irrelevant, and Russian territory shouldn’t be a sanctuary for critical targets. If the West is serious about winning, it must allow Ukraine to fight against the follow-on troops, isolate the Russian front-line forces, and set the conditions for offensive operations. This isn’t a new strategy, but one that has been called for since the first months of the war.
Trump signaled a possible shift on military support for Ukraine after his meeting with Zelensky. In a social-media post, he praised Kyiv and condemned Russia as a “paper tiger” fighting an “aimless” war in Ukraine—a significant about-face following his efforts in recent months to court Russian President Vladimir Putin for peace talks to end the war.
“After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” – Trump
Zelensky said he had a good conversation with Trump, and that the U.S. president had shown a grasp of the battlefield situation. He said that Trump’s information is now closer to the picture held by Ukraine. After trusting Putin’s information for a long time, Trump was slowly seeing that some things Putin is saying are “far away from the truth,” Zelensky added.
The European Commission is working on a new “reparation loan” which would be backed by the frozen assets, if the 27 member countries agree, but not all were onboard going into Wednesday’s EU summit in Copenhagen.
In essence, EU countries would lend Ukraine around 140 billion euros ($165 billion). Kyiv would only refund the money once Russia pays significant war reparations to Ukraine for the massive destruction its war has caused.
“I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” Trump said in a post about 30 minutes after his meeting with Zelensky. “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?”
With European and US support, Ukraine has built a formidable industrial base to produce these weapons. By early this year, some 500 private manufacturers were churning out a reported 200,000 units monthly. Ukraine’s defense ministry is aiming to procure about 4.5 million FPV drones this year — more than double last year’s tally. Officials say total production could reach 10 million annually if funds were available.
What must change is Europe’s attitude to Ukraine, understanding it as a defense provider as well as consumer. Europe’s arms industry needs to embed with Ukraine’s, above all when it comes to drones and the real time feedback Kyiv’s manufacturers get from the front so they can engage in constant adaptation. A drone made in France or Germany will otherwise be obsolete by the time it has been produced and deployed. This is already beginning to happen, with the UK, Denmark and some other nations developing Ukrainian drone manufacturing partnerships, but the process needs to accelerate, deepen, and gain wide public understanding.
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