Zelensky says 'God saved' Trump from assassination as Trump shifts on Ukraine at UN

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday that God saved Donald Trump from an assassination attempt during the 2024 campaign, saying a rifle shot narrowly missed his life. Zelensky linked the claim to the campaign-trail incident in Pennsylvania last July, noting the dramatic moment as he spoke to world leaders in New York. His remarks arrived as Trump, addressing the same gathering, signaled a dramatic shift in his public stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, suggesting that with time and Western backing, Ukraine could regain all of its territory.

Zelensky’s remarks followed Trump’s own appearance at the UN gathering and his later post about Ukraine’s prospects. In a Tuesday post after meetings at the United Nations General Assembly, Trump wrote that Ukraine, with the support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, is in a position to fight and win back “all of Ukraine” and to restore the borders from where the war began. The remarks come after Trump previously appeared to align with a peace framework discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin that would have required Kyiv to concede significant territory. The Ukrainian leader’s account at the podium underscored the sensory and political theater surrounding the world’s response to the war as leaders sought to chart a path forward.

Separately, the notes recount a separate, dramatic turn in a U.S. courtroom involving the man who authorities say plotted to kill Trump in 2024. A Florida jury found Ryan Routh guilty on all charges related to the case, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, felony possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer. Routh, who faced a maximum sentence of life in prison, learned his fate in a high-profile trial that drew attention across political circles. Sentencing is scheduled for December 18.

Trump publicly weighed in on the verdict, congratulating Attorney General Pam Bondi and her team, saying the trial was meticulously handled and that the judiciary had acted with professionalism. Bondi, in a post on X, said the verdict demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to punishing those who engage in political violence and to defending the nation’s democratic processes.

The UN address and the conviction by a jury in Florida together place on display the broader U.S. political landscape as the 2024 election cycle continues and as Ukraine seeks continued Western support. Zelensky’s UN remarks come amid a broader push by Kyiv to sustain international backing while navigating shifts in tone from some Western leaders. The convergence of the Ukrainian president’s public appeal at the United Nations and the domestic legal proceedings surrounding an attempted assassination of a leading U.S. figure underscore the high-stakes, high-visibility politics shaping responses to the war and its aftermath.